


Charmed Generations

by luckyfiftytwo



Category: Charmed (TV 1998)
Genre: Gen, Next Generation, this is like fairly canon compliant i spent a lot of time on the wiki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2020-07-10 16:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 42,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19908754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckyfiftytwo/pseuds/luckyfiftytwo
Summary: Their parents saved the world. Multiple times, actually. So what are they going to do?Formatted as a tv show, we follow the lives of the children of the charmed ones as they try to find their way in the world, not only as a set of some of the most powerful witches to have ever lived, but also as a bunch of stressed out gen z nerds.





	1. S1E1: "Pilot"

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh this is the closest I could get to a tv script format using this platform, acts are used to convey segments of the show (the closing of each act would traditionally go into a commercial break), plain text are actions and breaks within those often convey new shots. (V.O.) stands for voice over, (CONT'D) is just continued, implying that the character kept talking through the visual break in dialogue, if it's NAME1/NAME2, they speak in unison. The timeline would be placed roughly near 2025.  
> If you want to come talk to me you can find me @phoebehalliwell on tumblr or @henrymitchells on twitter

### ACT I

**INT. COLLEGE DORM ROOM - DAY**

MELINDA (18), a college freshman with soft brown hair and sharp brown eyes, leans back after she finishes taping a final family photo to the wall: it is her and her two older brothers, arms wrapped around each other in front of the Halliwell manor. We see that the wall has been covered with a multitude of photos, each containing some combination of family members from varying years, connected with string lights and fabric scraps.

Her roommate, ALE (18), leans over her shoulder, examining her work. Ale can be summed up in one word: bold. Bold prints in bold colors, big, curly, bold hair circling a bold face, with bold eyebrows and a bold chin, and a bold personality to match.

MELINDA

Is it too much?

ALE

What, the photos?

MELINDA

I don't know, all of it? It looked good on Pinterest but I feel I'm overdoing it.

ALE

Nah bro, it's cool.

She leans forward, studying the photos.

ALE (CONT'D)

I didn't realize you had so many siblings.

MELINDA

Ha, no, that'd be a lot. Half of them are like, my cousins, we're just really close. Tight knit family, you know?

Ale leans back to face Melinda, tying her dark hair back with a neon blue scrunchie.

ALE

Not really, no.

Ale smiles, then looks over to her side of the cramped dorm, which is not nearly as decorated as Melinda's. Melinda follows her gaze and registers a Dolores Huerta poster, slightly askew above her bed, and a silver chain attached to the wall by a push pin, sporting a small charm in the shape of a foot.

ALE (CONT'D)

See I was worried I was going to overdo it so I held back decorating, but now I feel like I've got to step up my game.

MELINDA

I saw a thrift store in town if you want to go look at that later.

ALE

Ugh, I love thrift stores!

Melinda smiles; she could tell.

MELINDA

Great, so we should-

There is a knock on the doorframe as Effie, in full UC David garb, sticks her head in the room.

EFFIE

He-ey ki-ids! I'm Effie-e, the RA-a.

She sits on every vowel, drawing it out for as long as possible, but keeps the same smile firmly plastered on the face.

EFFIE (CONT'D)

I just wanted to invite you gu-uys to some fun icebreakers in the qu-uad! It's gonna be li-it!

Melinda smiles and nods at her.

MELINDA

Yeah, we'll be right down.

EFFIE

Gre-eat!

She rolls out of the doorframe and knocking and the same nasally resonance is heard down the hall.

MELINDA

(to Ale)

Do you think her personality is just like, naturally, like that?

ALE

Well there's only one way to find out.

She grabs her jacket and flicks her eyebrows at Melinda.

ALE (CONT'D)

(imitating Effie)

Icebreake-ers!

Ale exits the room and Melinda gets up to follow her, but her attention is caught by her phone vibrating. Her screen displays an incoming call from PJ, with the contact photo displaying a girl in her late teens smiling wide and making a heart shape with her hands. Melinda picks up the phone and pokes her head out of the dorm, calling to Ale.

MELINDA

I've got to take a call, I'll meet you there.

Melinda retreats back into her room, and we faintly hear Ale's voice calling back to her as she shuts the door.

ALE

Okay!

Melinda leans against the door and takes a deep breath in. She answers the call.

MELINDA

What's wrong?

**INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY**

PJ (17) rests against a wall on the edge of the cafeteria, holding her phone up to her ear, looking casually perfect. Her style is trendy with a personal twist, her smile is inviting, and her eyes are wild; she is the girl everyone is drawn to in a room.

PJ

(playfully)

Does something have to be wrong for me to call you?

**INT. COLLEGE DORM ROOM - DAY**

MELINDA

Usually, yeah, it does.

PJ (V.O.)

Not true! If there's an actually issue I usually call Wyatt.

Melinda smiles.

PJ (V.O.)

I just wanted to see how college was going for my favorite cousin!

MELINDA

I'm telling Wyatt I'm the favorite.

**INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY**

PJ

I mean, have at it, I'll just deny. But actually, how was the move?

MELINDA (V.O.)

Good, you know, my roommate seems cool-

**INT. COLLEGE DORM ROOM - DAY**

MELINDA

-the place is cramped, and I overdecorated, but no, it's good. How's everything back home?

PJ (V.O.)

Well, Aunt Piper's official an empty nester with you gone, so my mom invited her and your dad over for dinner tonight.

MELINDA

(incredulously)

Your mom's cooking?

**INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY**

PJ

Are you kidding? After how your mom felt about her vegan enchiladas? No. Piper and Leo are coming over, Piper's cooking, but it's happening at my house.

MELINDA (V.O.)

(laughing)

The enchiladas weren't that bad!

PJ

You were there! You felt it! Your mom was not having it.

MELINDA

It wasn't that bad!

PJ catches SIMON's eye across the cafeteria and waves, pushing herself off the wall. He nods and heads over to her, giving her a small peck on the lips when he arrives.

SIMON (18) pretty much fits the bill of what one would expect the popular girl's boyfriend to be: he's tall, athletic, and handsome enough to get away with not having a personality. Luckily for PJ, he did go the extra mile in forming a persona in his youth, becoming someone who's kind and loyal, though sometimes a bit thickheaded.

SIMON

Are you coming over later?

PJ slides the phone speaker a bit away from her mouth.

PJ

Can't, remember? Tutoring.

Simon nods; it's as if we can see his brain kicking in to gear, getting its bearings.

SIMON

Because it's Thursday.

PJ

Because it's Thursday.

MELINDA (V.O.)

Is that Simon?

PJ brings the speaker back to her mouth.

PJ

Yeah.

MELINDA (V.O.)

Oh, cool, tell him I say hi.

She slides the phone away again.

PJ

Melinda says hi.

SIMON

Tell Melinda I say hi too. Also, good luck with college. Davis, right?

PJ

Yeah.

She brings the phone back.

PJ (CONT'D)

Simon says hi back and he wishes you good luck in college.

MELINDA (V.O.)

Aw, thanks, Simon.

Simon gestures over to the cafeteria line.

SIMON

I'll go get us some food, yeah?

PJ smiles and nods, giving him a quick kiss before he ventures off.

MELINDA (V.O.)

So, you and Simon, huh?

**INT. COLLEGE DORM ROOM - DAY**

MELINDA

That's been going on for a while now.

PJ (V.O.)

Almost a year and a half.

MELINDA

Are you going to make it Halliwell official?

**INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY**

PJ rolls her eyes and slumps back against the wall.

PJ

Honestly, like, don't even ask me that.

**INT. COLLEGE DORM ROOM - DAY**

MELINDA

I mean, you could probably get away with not telling him. He takes like that tutoring thing at face value.

PJ (V.O.)

Yeah, that's because I say I'm bad at math. There's nothing suspicious about being bad at math.

MELINDA

No, that's what I mean. You don't have to tell him. It's just if you want to tell him-

**INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY**

PJ

(rushed)

I don't know what I want. I'll figure it out when the time comes.

MELINDA (V.O.)

Yeah, sure.

PJ

Look, it was great talking to you, but I've got to go...

MELINDA (V.O.)

Me too, I'm missing out on icebreakers for this conversation.

This pulls PJ out of her lull. She pops off the wall and starts walking over to a crowded table where Simon's saved her a seat.

PJ

Omigod, no! You can't miss the icebreakers, they're crucial to the new college experience! You've got to go!

MELINDA (V.O.)

Yeah, I'm going.

PJ

Okay, I'm going to let you go.

MELINDA (V.O.)

Okay.

PJ

Okay.

MELINDA (V.O.)

Bye.

The phone beeps, signalling the end of the call, and PJ takes her place next to Simon. Sitting at their table are a couple of POPULAR KIDS, including PJ's younger sister PARKER (16), and HENRY (17), their adopted cousin .

PARKER

How's Mellie?

PJ

She's off to do some icebreakers!

HENRY

(sarcastically)

She's gonna love that.

Henry's phone buzzes with an incoming text from Tamora. He unlocks his phone and begins to pen a response.

PJ leans over to try to read his messages. Henry leans further away from her, making it more difficult.

HENRY (CONT'D)

Mind your own business?

PJ

Are you texting Tamora?

SIMON

Oh, how's she doing? She's at SF State, right?

Henry sends his message and lowers his phone.

HENRY

Simon, I swear it's like you're already a part of this family.

He raises his phone back up, thumbs moving but barely looking at the screen.

HENRY (CONT'D)

You know more about what's going on then PJ does.

Simon blushes, and stammers something about having a good memory. PJ's phone buzzes.

She opens it to display a text message from Henry reading:

u should tell him

She kicks Henry in the shins. He smiles and picks an apple of his tray, taking a large bite out of it.

**INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY**

TAMORA (18) runs a hallway, holding a textbook under her arm, a phone in her hand, a backpack on her shoulder, and an apple with a bite out of in her free hand. She tries penning a text one-handed to Henry and takes another bite out of the apple, continuing to hustle down the hallway. There is a bit of black goop stuck to the bottom of her shoe, but she doesn't notice.

Her curly auburn hair tied back in a messy bun, and she is sporting her SF State hoodie, leggings, and sneakers. There are bags on her freckled face from time lost to studying, working, and other, family-related, emergencies.

KAT (V.O.)

Are you going to make it on time?

Tamora makes a face, indicating some effort is needed to pass this thought.

TAMORA (V.O.)

Yeah, I'll be fine.

She takes another large bite of her apple and almost crashes into someone walking the other way.

TAMORA

(calling over her shoulder)

Sorry!

Tamora notices the goo on her foot. She makes a disgusted face.

TAMORA

Oh, come on!

TAMORA (V.O.)

Did you get gooed?

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - DUSK**

KAT (18) stands in a back alleyway, just out of sight of the streetlamp. She is the identical twin to Tamora, but it takes a bit to see the resemblance. Her hair is in a pixie cut and the makeup on her face hides her freckles. She's sporting a leather jacket and a dress that cuts off at the knees - lucky for her, because here shins and ankles are covered in black goop.

She looks up, projecting her thought.

KAT (V.O.)

A bit.

TAMORA (V.O.)

It's not harmful, do you think?

Kat looks around, and once she is confident no one is around, she ORBS a couple feet to the left, leaving the goo where she was previously. It falls with an unpleasant squelch.

KAT (V.O.)

Hopefully not, but I'll check.

She pulls a small jar out of her dress pocket and scoops some of the goo up using the lid. She seals the container, slips it back in her pocket.

She leans against the alley wall, not quiet in reach of the streetlamps glow, pulls out her phone and begin to dial the contact CHRIS.

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - DAY**

CHRIS (20) is in the middle of an apartment that is so painfully populated by twenty-year-old guys. The counters are covered in empty energy drink bottles and old burrito wrappers, the floors haven't been vacuumed in god knows how long, and in the middle of the worn out leather couch that one of them got at a yard sale sits Chris, completely unbothered by it all.

His headphones are in, volume all the way up, and he is squinting at lines of code, trying to decipher what's wrong with it. He highlights a section, leaning in closer, then deselects it and leans back in frustration. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees his phone buzzing, slowly moving its way across the couch cushion.

He grabs it and flips it over, displaying Kat's contact photo, an unflattering candid of her mid-motion. He pulls out his headphones and accepts the call.

CHRIS

What do you need?

KAT (V.O.)

I need to know what something is.

CHRIS

What is it?

KAT (V.O.)

I don't know. That's why I'm calling you.

Chris gets off the couch and makes his way over to the fridge.

CHRIS

Can you describe it?

He pulls a drink out of the fridge and opens it.

KAT (V.O.)

Yeah, so, it was in like a human shape before, but then I just called Tamora, and she, y'know

(imitates explosion sound)

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - DUSK**

KAT

And it just sorta went everywhere. Look, I have a sample, should I send it over?

CHRIS (V.O.)

Do you know how it reacts to magic?

KAT

I dunno, I orbed out if it-

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - DAY**

Chris is now rifling through a cupboard full of chip bags- only half of them have chips still inside.

CHRIS

(interrupting)

Shouldn't have done that.

KAT (V.O.)

-and it seemed fine so I would say it doesn't react weird.

Chris has successfully found a bag with a decent amount of chips left in it, and with that returns to the couch.

CHRIS

I wouldn't be so confident.

KAT (V.O.)

Are you gonna help me or not?

CHRIS

Yeah. Call Wyatt.

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - DUSK**

Kat is now walking back down the street. There isn't much nightlife, but there are soft glow emitted from passing buildings. She rolls her eyes heavily at Chris's comment.

KAT

Wyatt's at work.

CHRIS (V.O.)

I'm at work.

KAT

Don't be so generous. If you're still in pajamas you're not at work.

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - DAY**

Chris is very much still in pajamas.

CHRIS

Fine. Send me your location. I'll be there.

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - DUSK**

Kat ends the call, looking over her shoulder, wary. Something's in the air, and she can sense it.

She shakes it off and sends Chris a location, and continues on her way home.

**INT. COLLEGE CLASSROOM - DAY**

The PROFESSOR has already begun her lecture when Tamora enters the room. She pays her no mind, but many students look over to see what the disturbance is.

Tamora mutters something about traffic as she shuffles to the back of the room, where there are a couple empty seats. 

She sits down and drops her bag at her feet, making a squelching sound as in lands in the black substance. She looks down, exasperated, and pulls her notebooks and pencil pouch out, not bothering to deal with the tiny mess at her feet.

A STUDENT behind her pokes her in the shoulder; she turns back to find out why.

STUDENT

(monotone)

There's something on your bag.

Tamora looks at the goo, and back at the student, deadpan.

STUDENT (CONT'D)

It's on your shoe too.

Tamora blinks once.

TAMORA

Thanks.

STUDENT

No problem.

They nod and go back to their notes, satisfied with their courteous act. Tamora drops her head on her desk.

* * *

### ACT II

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY**

Parker and PJ are exchange blows, both slightly out of breath. PJ goes in for a high kick and Parker blocks, swinging PJ off balance. For a split second, it seems like PJ will hit the ground, but instead she rotates, managing a flip and landing firmly on the top of a desk. That shouldn't have been possible.

Going for a full flying triangle choke, PJ knocks Parker flat on the floor, which has been covered in practice mats. PJ has a fierce snarl on her face - victory. So why is Parker smiling? PJ sits up straighter, realizing that Parker has an athame placed right above her kidney. Parker flicks her brows.

PJ

I thought we said no weapons!

Parker shrugs and sheathes her dagger as PJ stands.

PARKER

Demons don't fight fair-

PJ offers her hand, and helps her sister up off the mat.

PARKER (CONT'D)

Why should I?

PJ

Because we said we had rules!

HENRY

Please PJ, you're just mad because you lost.

Henry offers his contribution from one of the desks that has been pushed aside to give them an arena; like a true bi king, he is not sitting on it properly. Rather, he sits on top of the desk, one foot resting in the seat, the other propped up on another desk over to his left. He has a book resting spine up on his leg, marking some page he had been reading.

PJ

I am not! I still could have won, I was just caught off guard.

PARKER

I feel like that is by definition losing, but okay.

HENRY

Besides, Parker always does this. It would be shocking if she ever played by the rules.

PJ

I know! That's why I enchanted the doorway to block weapons! It should have been left at the door!

HENRY

Oh, see, that was smart.

PJ agrees. Parker pulls out her athame again, playing with it tauntingly.

PARKER

Too bad it didn't work.

PJ takes the bait, lunging for the athame in a way that is both playful, casual, and very desperate. Parker easily sidesteps and catches PJ's ankle, knocking her down.

PJ's form glows red, and she collapses, unconscious.

Parker smiles, flipping her weapon so she holds it by the blade, offering it hilt up above her shoulder.

PJ's astral form materializes behind her and takes the weapon, studying it. The blade is plain steel, but the hilt is ornate, covered in Greek symbols and inlaid with-

PJ

Rose quartz.

Parker smirks.

PJ (CONT'D)

You didn't.

Parker opens her hand. The stone in the hilt glows pink, consuming the dagger before vanishing, re-materializing in Parker's palm.

PJ (CONT'D)

(in awe)

Dad's gonna flip. I can't believe- Parker those are supposed to be sacred!

PARKER

I wouldn't consider this sacrilegious. Besides, it was Henry's idea.

PJ whips around to face Henry, scandalized. Henry is unbothered.

HENRY

A cupid's ring is one way of harnessing and directing energy. So is an athame. It's just cooler.

Henry descends from his throne of desks to admire the athame.

PJ's astral form glows red and dissipates; her body glows and she reenters, gaining consciousness again.

HENRY

And it's still fully functional, we're pretty sure. Ran some tests.

Henry takes the weapon from Parker. The metal immediately dulls and the rose quartz turns almost gray. No one reacts to this.

HENRY (CONT'D)

If you get bored of your ring, we could make yours into something cool too.

PJ instinctively grabs at a necklace chain around her neck.

PJ

I like the ring!

PARKER

You wear it as a necklace!

PJ lets the necklace fall. A rose quartz ring with a thick band and the same Greek symbols seen on the knife works as the main pendant.

PJ

Yeah! That gives it versatility.

Both Parker and Henry are ready to retort when a glowing pink orb appears it the room. It floats down from the ceiling before securing it's place a couple feet above the ground.

PJ (CONT'D)

Peyton!

Before the body of PEYTON HALLIWELL (14) can even form, leaving only the faint glow of pink above her heart, she is completely overcome with hugs from her two sisters.

HENRY

Let the girl breathe! She just finished her first day of school! Don't suffocate her.

PJ looks at Henry but does not break free from the group hug.

PJ

No.

The girls all giggle and break apart.

PARKER

What took you so long? You missed partner sparring.

HENRY

Not that I minded!

Peyton giggles, PJ rolls her eyes.

PEYTON

No I got caught up in administration trying to get out of precalc.

PARKER

Precalc?!

HENRY

Those bastards!

PJ

Nothing but AP calc for the brains of this family!

Peyton laughs, but she's a bit flustered. Everything they said is true, but being the center of attention is never something she could get used to.

PEYTON

Haha, well yeah it's all fine now. I just switched into fourth period physics so now I have room in my schedule.

PJ

One day in and she's already kicking butt and taking names!

PARKER

Speaking of kicking butt...

Parker cocks her head at Henry. Getting the cue, Henry displays the athame to Peyton.

PEYTON

It worked?!

PJ

Did everyone know about this except for me?

HENRY

Pretty much, yeah.

As soon as the blade comes in contact with Peyton's hand it regains the initial luminescence it had.

PEYTON

No way!

The blade begins to lift itself out of her palms, rotating slowly in front of her face as she studies it.

PEYTON (CONT'D)

And it can beam to you and everything?

Parker nods. Peyton lets the blade fall and catches it by the hilt.

PEYTON (CONT'D)

So cool.

PJ

Okay we can admire Parker's bastardization of her ring at a later hour, but we've gottta go help mom set up for the dinner now.

PEYTON

(to Henry)

Tamora's gonna be there right?

HENRY

She's got a lot of work, but yeah, she'll be there.

Peyton smiles, clearly relieved.

PJ

See you at seven!

The three Cupitches all link hands. Together, their hearts all start to glow, until there is nothing left but three small pink orbs which float up and out.

HENRY

(to himself)

Yeah. See you then.

He heads back to the desk he occupied earlier, grabbing his books and tucking them into a messenger bag. After one last look around them room, he exits, unceremoniously.

**EXT. KAT'S APARTMENT - EVENING**

Kat approaches door 13 in a dimly lit apartment complex. The building itself is clearly worn down but the dinginess manages to come off as a rustic appeal.

She rummages for keys in her pocket, pulling out a chain with a couple keys and a silver "K" all on a loop.

**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - EVENING**

Chris leans against the cheap tiling on the kitchen tower, face only illuminated by the glow of his phone.

The lock clicks on the door and light starts to flood in-

KAT

Jesus Christ!

Kat jumps a little and drops her keys.

KAT (CONT'D)

Why are you in the dark?

Chris shrugs, as if the question shouldn't even have been asked - why would he have gone through the effort to find and turn on the lights?

He flicks his hand towards the ceiling. Blue lights form and swirl peacefully above.

KAT (CONT'D)

(muttering)

I swear to god.

She hits the light switch on the wall next to her. The blue lights are countered by the yellow tinged artificial lights from an installment in the ceiling. Chris makes a fist, extinguishing the lights he had sent out.

CHRIS

You got a sample?

KAT

Yeah.

She reaches in her pocket and pulls out the jar, tossing it to him across the room. He catches it - not easily - then pauses.

CHRIS

Kat. This is empty.

Kat panics, reaching into her pockets. That was the jar. Her hands come out empty.

She opens the door, looking out at the ground she had just traveled, nothing. She goes to the jar, examining it, rotating it.

KAT

It was in here!

CHRIS

Well it's not anymore. Is it still on the street?

KAT

One way to find out.

Kat orbs out of the room.

Chris flicks hit hand at the light switch, turning them off before orbing out as well.

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - DUSK**

Chris rematerializes next to Kat, standing just out of the view of a streetlamp.

KAT

I don't get it - it was just here.

Kat starts pacing up and down the alley, searching for any remaining evidence of the encounter. Chris leans against the wall, studying the ground but seeing nothing.

KAT (CONT'D)

I tracked it to this alley- it was like in a person shape- it had a sword-

CHRIS

A sword?

KAT

Yeah. So I froze it and called Tamora, she blew it up, and it was gone. And now it's... gone.

Chris pushes himself off the wall and starts to join Kat in her hunt.

CHRIS

You said you orbed out of it?

KAT

Yeah. You don't think...

A shadow starts to form behind Kat, condensing itself into a man's figure in an all black gladiator outfit, complete with a sword. He starts to swing.

CHRIS

Watch out!

He throws out his hand, knocking the entity back against a wall.

Kat throws her hands up, flicking her fingers at it. The sounds that usually accompanies her freezing power is heard, but no effect is seen. She tries again. And again.

KAT

Chris! My powers don't work!

The figure rises, and flings its arm out at Kat. There is a small explosion that throws her against the opposite wall of the alley, leaving dark singes on the front of her dress.

Chris dives over to her, orbing the two out of the alleyway.

The creature cocks his head, seemingly looking at where the two once were.

Straightening its posture, it orbs out of frame.

* * *

### ACT III

 **INT. THRIFT STORE - DAY**

Melinda and Ale wander up and down the floor of a ridiculously cluttered thrift/antique store. Ale's arms are full of bright colored and odd shaped clothing; Melinda has a pale blue sweater on her arm and a lamp shaped like a star in her other hand.

ALE

Okay I know I said I needed stuff for my room, but this is probably where I'm going to get all my clothes from now on.

Melinda nods, now examining a gold jewelry tray. Ale plucks a green hoodie with orange stitching off a rack.

ALE (CONT'D)

Okay! Cut me off here. Don't let me grab any more clothes.

MELINDA

Oh, thank god, I was worried for a second there you might buy out the entire shop.

Ale laughs and sets her pile of clothes on a table, starting to rifle through the home goods.

ALE

Please. I'll be here for a whole year. There's still plenty of time to do that.

Something under a heavy amethyst geode catches Ale's eye.

ALE (CONT'D)

Oh my god, Melinda.

Ale lifts the crystal, revealing an old book with a worn leather cover and a silver pentagram in the middle.

ALE (CONT'D)

We have to do some witchcraft.

MELINDA

Oh! Ha, is that a real spellbook?

ALE

Looks real enough to me.

Ale dusts off the front cover and opens the book, leafing through pages explaining crystals and cardinal directions, finally landing on some spells.

ALE (CONT'D)

"To Summon a Lost Love".

Melinda looks as if she is about to go into a physical panic as Ale starts tracing her finger down the page, reading over the lines and muttering to herself.

Aly finishes the page and turns to Melinda.

ALE (CONT'D)

(laughing)

Oh my god your face! God you're like my abuelita.

(imitating a stern older woman)

_ ¡Ay! Las brujas son cosas vil y malvado. ¡El dolor que han causado a esta familia, mija! _

(she reverts back to her normal voice)

As if I'm the type of girl who reads aloud from a magic book in an antique shop.

Melinda manages and nervous laugh - she can't help but feel she's dodged a bullet.

ALE (CONT'D)

I still sorta want to get it though.

MELINDA

(playing the part)

I mean, it could be fun.

ALE

You ever done magic before?

MELINDA

(beat)

Once or twice.

ALE

Anything happen?

MELINDA

Not much.

Ale shrugs and adds the book onto her pile. Her eyes pick up on something behind Melinda; she looks worried.

ALE

Oh god. Effie. 10 o' clock.

Melinda turns around to see the overly cheerful RA has entered the building... and they've made eye contact.

EFFIE

Me-el! Fancy running into you he-ere!

MELINDA

Ha ha, yeah!

Melinda turns to Ale for an escape, but she must have already take her chance because she's nowhere in sight.

EFFIE

So what are you up to-o?

MELINDA

Oh, you know, um, Ale wanted some more room decorations o-

EFFIE

Of cou-ourse! No I lo-ove it here. This is where I get all my crystals!

MELINDA

Oh, you're into crystals?

Melinda shouldn't have asked this. Melinda doesn't like this conversation, she doesn't like crystals, she doesn't really even like Effie. And yet.

EFFIE

Ye-ah! I'm like, really into them. You?

MELINDA

Not really. I mean, um, I think they're pretty - but I don't really think they have like, um, powers and stuff, you know?

Effie knits her brows, surely forming another multi-tonal response, when Ale grabs Melinda by the arm.

ALE

Hey, I'm all set.

She holds up three paper bags to prove her point, many colored sleeves are snaking out of one.

ALE (CONT'D)

You gonna get those or no?

Melinda looks and the lamp and sweater, and nods, satisfied.

MELINDA

Effie it was so good to see you.

Ale starts to steer Melinda towards the register before she can suck herself into another conversation.

ALE

(calling over her shoulder)

And I'm sure we'll see you again!

EFFIE

I'm sure you wi-ill!

Melinda pays and the two girls exit the store arm in arm, giggling softly. Ale speaks to Melinda, under her breath-

ALE

Yikes!

\- and Mel can't help but laugh.

Back where they left her, Effie raises her brows and smiles, and softly touches the geode that had sat atop the book.

**INT. ART GALLERY - DAY**

WYATT, (22), sharply dressed, perfectly put together, bring-him-to meet-the-parents-type, is talking to two other employees of the art gallery. They are hanging on to every word he says, laughing on cue, and taking notes on clipboards when necessary. Wyatt isn't off-put by his enraptured audience - this is how people tend to be around him. He smiles graciously, playing the part, until his eye catches on something in the corner.

Chris is standing, tucked away in one of the corners of the gallery floor, still in his pajamas. He waves once to catch Wyatt's attention, then flicks his head towards a hallway.

WYATT

Excuse me, just one moment.

**INT. WYATT'S OFFICE - DAY**

Kat sits on Wyatt's desk, hand gingerly placed over the wound the creature's explosion left.

With the sound of a door click, the brothers enter, already in an intense but hushed conversation.

KAT

Hey Wyatt. Long time, no see.

Wyatt immediately drops whatever conversation he was having with Chris, rushing over to Kat, his palms already starting to emit a soft golden glow.

Kat peels back her hands, a little bloodstained, and allows Wyatt to heal the wound. He holds a hand slightly above the injury; as the golden light grows Kat's skin returns to normal.

WYATT

Are you okay? How long ago was this? Did you vanquish it? Did it have Tamora's powers?

Kat takes a deep breath, pressing her hand to her freshly healed stomach.

KAT

Thanks.

(beat)

What was the question?

CHRIS

We think it absorbed Tamora's powers.

KAT

Mine too. I couldn't freeze it. And it can probably orb.

Wyatt takes this all in. He won't look stressed, he doesn't want anyone to worry, but my god.

CHRIS

Oh. And it stands to reason it got my telekinesis too.

Nope. Wyatt's stressed.

WYATT

(terse)

If you knew it would get your power, why did you-

CHRIS

Look, I wasn't gonna let Kat get sliced in half!

KAT

It had a sword.

WYATT

A sword!

CHRIS

Straight blade. Foot and a half, maybe two feet.

KAT

Sharp.

Wyatt holds up his hands, begging to two to stop for just a second.

WYATT

Okay.

(deep breath)

A shadow in a human form that can absorb powers with what I'm going to assume is a gladius.

KAT

And a bit of armor.

Wyatt nods. He recomposes himself.

WYATT

I think I know what we're dealing with here. Lemures are the ghosts of Roman soldiers, left behind with only one job: to siege and overtake territory, manifesting in-

CHRIS

Taking powers used against them as their own, sure, but how do we stop them?

WYATT

Give me a minute. Obviously the objective is to gain as much new territory - that is, "powers" - so they're called to immense power. That must have been how they found you, Kat.

Both Kat and Chris make a face at this comment; the only one with immense power in the room is Wyatt, but he tends to forget this.

WYATT (CONT'D)

And since they're technically spirits, a banishing spell should work, but you'd have to bind their powers first, and that requires a potion.

CHRIS

Okay. A potion and a spell. I think we can manage from here.

WYATT

I'll help.

Wyatt's offer is genuine, and he conveniently doesn't notice Chris's look of annoyance.

WYATT (CONT'D)

Kat, is there anything else we need to know?

Kat squints in concentration, filtering through her memory, when-

KAT

Wait.

Her eyes are wide in panic.

KAT (CONT'D)

Some of it got on Tamora. It's in the city.

(sudden realization)

Phoebe's dinner party!

WYATT/CHRIS

(panicked)

What?

* * *

### ACT IV

 **INT. PHOEBE'S APARTMENT - DAY**

Everyone is starting to gather at the apartment for dinner. The apartment is spacious, with an open floor concept, but it isn't very minimal. The whole room feels, warm, homey, filled with love.

PIPER, a motherly woman in her early fifties, is presently distracted in the kitchen, all burners occupied, oven on, and mise en place, well, en place.

PHOEBE, a woman in her early 50's sporting a chic hairdo, holds a glass of rosé, eyes sparkling. Next to her is her husband, COOP, a man of roughly the same age, sporting the same ring as his daughters and a kind smile. They are in a conversation with LEO, a man in his mid-fifties, face etched with laughter lines. The three are all chatting over an open bottle of wine at the kitchen counter.

PJ and Parker bounce around the room, making sure the table is set and everything is in order.

PIPER

Phebes? Bay leaf?

PHOEBE

Top drawer to your left.

Piper pulls on the drawer indicated, revealing yet another spice rack (there are already two present on the counter).

PJ

Mom, we only have ten white napkins.

PHOEBE

There should be two more tucked towards the back of the linen closet.

PJ

Okay. Parker! Get them from the back of the linen closet!

Coop laughs. PJ smiles; she's always been a daddy's girl.

PJ (CONT'D)

What? I'm delegating.

There is a blue glow as PAIGE and HENRY SR. enter the room. The couple is their late forties, but don't show too much wear and tear from age.

PHOEBE

Paige!

Phoebe runs over to hug her sister; Henry Sr. heads over to greet Leo and Coop.

PAIGE

Henry's going to be a bit late, he took the car to go pick up Tamora.

PIPER

I still can't believe he's driving.

LEO

I mean someone in this family has to, and it certainly isn't our kids.

Leo laughs at his own comment, Piper rolls her eyes, exasperated.

PJ

Why get a license if you can get where you need to be without it?

Parker enters the room, the extra white napkin in hand.

PARKER

Get one so I don't have to drive you everywhere.

She sets the napkin down at the final place setting.

**INT. HENRY'S CAR - DAY**

Henry pulls up alongside the curb as Tamora jogs down the library step, chugging a can of yerba mate. She tosses it in a recycling bin before hopping into shotgun.

TAMORA

Sorry I'm late.

HENRY

No worries.

TAMORA

When's dinner supposed to start?

HENRY

Seven.

Tamora looks at the clock on the dash: 6:50.

TAMORA

Alright, so, we're late.

HENRY

(scoffs)

Is that a challenge?

He peels out of his spot, entering the road.

KAT (V.O.)

(very faint)

Tamora!

Tamora whips around.

TAMORA

Did you hear something?

Henry looks in his rear view but doesn't see anything of note.

HENRY

No.

KAT (V.O.)

(very faint)

Tamora!

TAMORA

I think Kat's trying to call me.

HENRY

What? You flood your system again?

TAMORA

I have a midterm coming up!

HENRY

Hold out your hand.

Henry holds out one hand flat, palm down. Tamora tries to do the same, but her hand is vibrating ever so slightly.

HENRY (CONT'D)

If you know caffeine dampens your link why do you drink so much of it?

TAMORA

Because I have a midterm coming up. Besides, I haven't been sleeping well lately.

(beat)

Okay but what if it's important?

Tamora contorts her face, scrunching all her features, trying to send a message.

Henry rolls his eyes.

HENRY

You guys use too much magic.

TAMORA

What's that supposed to mean?

HENRY

Your phone, Tam.

TAMORA

Oh!

She pulls a cell phone out of her backpack and starts to dial her sister.

**INT. WYATT'S OFFICE - DAY**

Kat is scowling, forcefully trying to send another message.

CHRIS

Why isn't she hearing you?

KAT

She probably drank too much coffee, if her brain chemistry is altered messages won't go through.

CHRIS

Great. So what are we supposed to do?

WYATT

You can still orb to her right? With the link?

KAT

I think me orbing was what brought the lemure to the alley last time, I'm not going to risk bringing it to her knowing her powers won't work against it.

WYATT

Okay, I can scry for her, and then Chris or I can-

He is cut off by a buzzing from Kat's pocket. She pulls out her phone: incoming call from Kat.

WYATT (CONT'D)

Oh.

CHRIS

Right.

Kat accepts the call, putting her on speaker.

KAT

(urgently)

Tam?

TAMORA (V.O.)

Yeah, what's up?

KAT

Tam listen to me this is important.

TAMORA (V.O.)

Told you.

HENRY (V.O.)

I never said it wasn't!

TAMORA (V.O.)

You said-

KAT

Tam!

TAMORA (V.O.)

Yeah! Sorry.

KAT

Okay the thing you blew up this morning?

TAMORA (V.O.)

Yeah?

KAT

Okay, well it's called a lemure-

HENRY (V.O.)

Shit! Really?

TAMORA (V.O.)

A what?

WYATT

It's a spirit of a roman soldier-

HENRY (V.O.)

(cutting him off)

It gains any power used against it.

**INT. HENRY'S CAR - DAY**

TAMORA

So that means-

KAT (V.O.)

It has your power. And mine.

TAMORA

And can orb?

KAT (V.O.)

Yeah.

CHRIS (V.O.)

Telekinesis too.

Henry shakes his head and turns on his turn signal.

TAMORA

Where are you going?

HENRY

Well we can't going to Phoebe's now can we?

(louder, so those on the other end of the phone can hear him)

Meet us at the manor. I assume you have a plan?

CHRIS (V.O.)

We have a plan.

HENRY

(under his breath)

Better be a good one.

* * *

### ACT V

**INT. THE MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Wyatt and Kat are working on a potion on a circular table in the center of the attic. Chris is flipping between two pages in the Book of Shadows, Tamora is nearby with a pen and pad of paper. Henry is in the corner, nose deep in a book that seems to be in Latin. 

**INT. PHOEBE'S APARTMENT - DAY**

Piper is starting to plate her work, and PJ and Parker find their seats at the table.

PHOEBE

Peyton! Dinner's ready.

Peyton emerges from her room, taking off her reading glasses.

As everyone starts to make their way to the table, Leo makes an offhand comment to Paige.

LEO

So, Kat's back in town.

Paige freezes in her tracks.

PAIGE

What?

Leo rocks back on his heels.

LEO

She's, uh, back in the city? Arrived earlier today?

PAIGE

Yeah, I- I invited her to dinner, but she said she couldn't make it. You sensed her?

At this point Leo has realized he's said something he shouldn't have, but it's too late, the ball's in motion.

LEO

I think I did. But maybe I was wrong, you know, wires get crossed-

(to Henry Sr.)

Shouldn't Henry Jr. and Tamora be here by now?

PAIGE

Can you tell where she is right now?

LEO

I don't know if I should...

PAIGE

Please, Leo.

Leo caves, closing his eyes and turning his face upward.

LEO

She's at the manor.

Leo takes his seat at the table, Paige is the last man standing.

PAIGE

I have to go...

LEO

Paige-

PIPER

Go where? We just sat down.

Henry Sr. stands and gently takes holds Paige's arm, speaking only so she can hear.

HENRY SR.

I'm sure she has her reasons, we'll see her later.

PAIGE

No, I- I'm sorry.

Paige orbs out of the room.

**INT. THE MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Tamora is using a baster to put the potion in a bunch of tiny bottles while Chris and Wyatt read over what's written on the notepad. Kat paces nervously.

KAT

Okay, if I orb, that should bring it here, right?

TAMORA

Wait, there'll be two, right? Did the one on my shoe turn into a separate one?

HENRY

You're going to want to prepare for more than that.

Kat looks at him, horrified. Henry sets his book down.

HENRY (CONT'D)

They're soldiers, not demons. They're made to make armies, to crush their enemies and salt the earth.

WYATT

He's right.

CHRIS

Okay, would have loved that information a bit earlier.

TAMORA

Should we bring in the Cupitches?

HENRY

They're at dinner.

TAMORA

So? Why don't we bring the whole family, if it's an army we're about to face?

KAT

No. We can do this on our own, it's under control. Everyone have their potions?

Each witch grabs a small vial off the table, Wyatt grabs two and hands one to Henry.

KAT (CONT'D)

Alright then. Let's do this.

Kat's figure vanishes as she orbs out. As she starts to orb back in, a second figure appears next to her.

TAMORA

Mom?

Shadow figures start forming in the attic.

Seven lemures have formed a circle around Kat and Paige, swords drawn. Paige raises her hands, ready to fight.

KAT

Mom! Don't!

It's too late. Paige sends out an orb shield in one solid blast, the sheer force disintegrating the creatures. She turns to her daughter.

PAIGE

Why didn't you tell me you were back in town?

KAT

Not right now, mom!

Kat watches as the lemures reform, back into a standing position. They each hold out a forearm - and an orb shield forms in front.

CHRIS

Oh, f-

Wyatt takes aim, aggressively hurling a vial at a soldier. It explodes on the orb shield with a BANG, but the lemure is left standing.

All hell breaks loose.

Henry grabs a coat hanger and swings at the nearest figure, sparking against the orb shield.

One lemure starts to swing at Paige, moving its sword in an upward arc.

PAIGE

Candelabra!

A candelabra orbs itself it Paige's hand just in time to parry the strike. Tamora breaks the vial on its back, it drops to the ground, losing its shield and dropping its sword.

TAMORA

Crap!

She lunges for the notepad and reads off it quickly.

TAMORA

_ From ancient cities you once roamed, I banish thee and salt thy bones. _

Chris is suddenly thrown past her by an explosion. He crashes into a wall, and the lemure approaches him, eliminating its shield and raising its hand for another power blast.

TAMORA

_ I call upon the powers that be, I take back what you have stolen from me! _

The lemure she had knocked down turns into black sand with an unearthly wail.

The one that had cornered Chris throws out his hand. No result. Chris smirks and throws the vial. It makes contact and creature doubles over. Chris throws out his hand, the notepad orbs into it.

CHRIS

_ From ancient cities you once roamed, I banish thee and salt thy bones. I call upon the powers that be, I take back what you have stolen from me. _

Henry and Wyatt stand back to back, fighting three lemures at once. Henry is holding his own with the coat hanger, which is now in two parts, having been broken in half. Wyatt is fencing with a longsword (that looks suspiciously like Excalibur). The pair are being pushed closer and closer to the circular table.

Wyatt dodges a blow to the head and almost lands on the cauldron. There's still some purple fluid in there. He raises his brows.

The fluid orbs out of the pot, teleporting itself onto the surface of the three lemures.

They begin to shriek as Chris throws the notepad to Wyatt, who catches it with grace.

Wyatt begins to recite the spell as Kat and Paige each fend off their own personal lemure.

Kat has gotten her hands on an athame and an umbrella, an odd combo but proving to be quite dangerous in her hands. She manages to disarm the lemure, sending its sword sliding across the floor.

Henry dives for it, rolling on the ground and sinking the blade into the lemure's calf. The creature drops to its knees and Kat smashes her vial on its head.

She holds out her arm for the notepad, and Paige's lemure picks up on this moment of vulnerability.

It orbs past Paige, appearing right behind Kat, and forces its sword through Kat's core.

Paige screams, knocking the lemure to the side, sword still stuck in her daughter's stomach. She grabs the shadow by the throat, choking it.

It starts to claw at her hand, then attempts to orb out. Paige squeezes in harder; the orbs at the neck stay firmly in her grip and the lemure rematerializes in the same position. Paige holds out her hand expectantly, Henry quickly sets his vial in her open palm. Paige shatters it against the lemure's face, then tosses the creature to the ground.

She rushes over to Kat. Chris has orbed the sword out of her core and Wyatt working on healing the wound.

Tamora kneels in front of her twin, holding her face in her hands. Kat coughs up a bit of blood, letting it fall from her lips.

TAMORA

(voice shaking)

Come on, Kat.

_ From ancient cities you once roamed- _

Kat parrots her, voice weak.

KAT

_ From ancient cities you once roamed- _

TAMORA

_ \- I banish thee and salt thy bones. _

KAT

_ \- I banish thee and salt thy bones. _

Kat coughs violently, splattering blood across her Tamora's cheek.

TAMORA

Almost there.

Kat inhales and nods. The twins speak in unison

KAT/TAMORA

_ I call upon the powers that be... I take back what you have stolen from me! _

The final lemures dissolve into sand.

Kat collapses into Tamora.

Wyatt pulls back his hands. The gaping hole through her back is gone, but she's still weak.

Still, she manages to turn her head up, to Paige, and weakly mutters-

KAT

Sorry, mom.

* * *

### ACT VII

**INT. PHOEBE'S APARTMENT - DAY**

Kat sits at the kitchen counter with a blanket across her shoulders, sipping a Gatorade. Tamora is at her side, fielding questions.

Chris and Wyatt stand next to their parents, Piper and Leo in the kitchen, picking at some of the leftover food.

Henry Sr. and Paige stand off to the side, having a passionate conversation with low voices, constantly glancing back at their daughters.

Phoebe ushers her the Cupitches into their room, hushing PJ's protests. Henry follows.

PIPER

Let me get this straight. You knew there was an evil presence there, and you'd didn't bother to inform us?

KAT

It's not the first demon I've vanquished on my own.

PIPER

But you didn't vanquish this one on your own.

PAIGE

Piper-

PIPER

If you're not going to call us, at least call one of your cousins.

TAMORA

She had me. And she called Chris.

PIPER

After the fact.

LEO

(trying to rein her in)

Honey-

Wyatt steps forward, putting himself between his mom and Kat.

WYATT

It's our fault. Once Chris and I figured out what it was we should have told the family, figured it out together.

PIPER

You think?

LEO

(to Piper)

Okay.

(to the rest of the family)

Look, what happened today was a mistake. It was very dangerous, but, I think we can agree we all learned a lesson.

Everyone nods and mutters, in sullen agreement.

LEO (CONT'D)

Now, we still have a bunch of food. Why don't we all have dinner, as a family.

There is a stir of agreement as people putter their way to the kitchen.

Kat turns to Tamora, faces close, and talks in a hushed voice.

KAT

I'm going back to Italy.

TAMORA

What?

KAT

I'm going back. Wyatt said that lemures are only attracted to sources of great power - I'm going to find out what that is.

Tamora opens her mouth, trying to find the words to say, but comes up empty.

KAT (CONT'D)

Are you going to try to stop me?

TAMORA

Of course not. Just- be careful.

Kat manages a weak smile.

KAT

Hey. I'm always careful.

The two chuckle ruefully, and rise, making their way towards dinner.

  
  
  



	2. S1E2: "Totally Buggin' "

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kat gets an assist in Italy, Melinda meets a whitelighter, and Tamora, Henry, & Peyton deal with an issue back home.  
> Formatted as a TV show, we follow the lives of the children of the Charmed Ones as they try to find their way in the world, not only as a set of some of the most powerful witches to have ever lived, but also as a bunch of stressed out Gen Z nerds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this is the closest I could get to a tv script format using this platform, acts are used to convey segments of the show (the closing of each act would traditionally go into a commercial break), plain text are actions and breaks within those often convey new shots. (V.O.) stands for voice over, (CONT'D) is just continued, implying that the character kept talking through the visual break in dialogue, if it's NAME1/NAME2, they speak in unison. The timeline would be placed roughly near 2025.  
> If you want to come talk to me you can find me @phoebehalliwell on tumblr or @henrymitchells on twitter  
> I know I said i would have this up by last friday but i have never been a woman of my word HOWEVER ep3 is already like half written so that will be out within the 1st week of September

### TEASER

  
**INT. SF STATE LIBRARY - NIGHT**

There are just a couple students left hunched over desks.

One girl is squinting at a laptop screen set to full brightness, white-knuckling a can of yerba mate.

A boy sits in front of a document with approximately a paragraph on it. A blinking text cursor waits for him, but he is engrossed with some video on his phone.

One girl approaches an empty desk, setting down a small stack of books, and puts in her headphones.

At a far desk in the corner sits Tamora. Tamora isn't like the other kids, she's not struggling to stay awake, she's dead asleep. Her head rests on a notebook on top of a textbook and there is a collection of highlighters and other such aesthetic note-taking stationary surrounding her. She is snoring slightly.

Out from the corner of the desk, a bug emerges. It almost looks like a cockroach, if cockroaches were blue, about a third of their normal size, and emitted a soft glow. It crawls across the desk and hoists itself up onto the textbook. As it moves across the page it leaves a trail of missing words, when it reaches the notebook, it start eating up lines of Tamora's notes, leaving behind only highlights over empty pages. It begins to travel up her sleeve, crawling towards her ear.

Her phone alarm goes off.

Tamora jerks upright, suddenly awake, launching the bug onto the ground. She grabs her phone, knocking a couple highlighters off the desk in doing so.

She turns off the alarm, muttering a quick apology to no one in particular, quickly stuffs her materials in her bag, and exits the library.

The girl with headphones now has a book open in front of her, and doesn't seem to notice a similar bug on top of her book pile - the difference between this and the previous one is this one is the size of a proper cockroach, and its glow is slightly stronger. The boy on his phone doesn't seem to notice that his single paragraph has been deleted. The caffeinated girl does not notice a glowing bug - this one even larger - crawling up her back.

To be fair, Tamora doesn't notice either. She leaves the library, unceremoniously.

**INT. HENRY'S CAR - NIGHT**

Henry's car is parked outside the college; Henry is inside it, playing music and scrolling through Twitter. He jumps at the sound of the side door opening. Tamora hops in shotgun.

HENRY  
Jesus! A little warning next time?

TAMORA  
You want me to knock?

Henry puts his phone back in the cup holder and starts the car.

HENRY  
Yes. Knocking would be nice.

Tamora rolls her eyes as Henry pulls out to join the other cars on the road.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Did you finish everything?

TAMORA  
I would say I finished roughly eighty percent.

She winces.

TAMORA (CONT'D)  
Maybe just seventy.

HENRY  
Tam, you were in the library practically all day.

TAMORA  
Yeah and I'll have to be in there practically all day tomorrow too. But in theory, tomorrow I'll be awake.

HENRY  
Here's my fresh idea: how about tomorrow you take a day off, do a face mask, try some healthy coping mechanisms. Come on, I'll join you, it'll be fun.

TAMORA  
Don't you have school tomorrow?

HENRY  
(beat)  
Tomorrow's Saturday.

Tamora slumps back in her seat and groans.

TAMORA  
Today's Friday?

She asks the question like she really hopes the answer is going to be no.

HENRY  
Look, there's nothing wrong with being alone on a Friday night. You just haven't found your people yet and that's-

TAMORA  
No, I meant to sent an email to my professor today!

HENRY  
(under his breath)  
Okay, maybe there is something wrong with being alone on a Friday night.

Tamora is too busy rooting through her bag to hear Henry's comment. She retrieves her phone and starts rapidly penning an email, missing the glowing bug that crawls out of her stuff and onto the car's console.

It makes its way to Henry's phone before diving in through the charging port.

The phone screen turns on momentarily, then glitches, taking a couple of Henry's notifications with it.

### ACT I

  
**INT. DORM ROOM - NIGHT**

Melinda and Ale's room is certainly looking more... "lived in". Ale's walls are a lot more cluttered now, featuring a couple more posters, photos, tapestries, stickers, and artwork (including some original sketches). Her floor is also more cluttered, with a new throw rug poking out from underneath some of the new clothes and covers that have been kicked off the bed.

Melinda lays in bed across the room, illuminated by the faint glow of her fairy lights. She scrolls through her phone aimlessly, trying to ignore Ale's light snoring. Nope. Can't do it.

She hops off her bed and pads over to Ale, gently pushing her shoulder.

Ale stops snoring for a beat. She rolls over from her side onto her stomach, and the snoring picks up again. Melinda groans.

She is about to give up and go back to bed when something on Ale's desk catches her eye: the spellbook.

Melinda moves a pair of quirky socks resting atop it and starts running her finger over the cover, tracing over the metal pentacle. She opens it and quietly leafs through the book, examining the spells. She knits her eyebrows and her lips move, but she doesn't say anything out loud.

She tiptoes back to Ale, who is still very much asleep. She waves her hand around her head, testing to see if she'll take notice. She doesn't.

Melinda heads back to the book, and then speaks at a voice barely above a whisper-

MELINDA  
Dad! Dad!

There is a soft blue glow and Leo orbs into the room.

LEO  
(in a normal speaking voice)  
Melinda, it's really-

MELINDA  
Shh!

Leo registers that he is a room with a sleeping individual - a sleeping individual who is completely unaware of magic.

LEO  
(whispering)  
It's really late, shouldn't you be sleeping?

Melinda ignores him and holds up the book.

MELINDA  
(rapidly)  
Is this meant for me? It looks like a real spellbook but I'm not sure. So, like, was there some part of the plan that I-

LEO  
I don't know, sweetie, I'm not your whitelighter anymore.

MELINDA  
You're not my- what? What do you mean you're not my whitelighter anymore?

LEO  
Well, the elders figured that since you moved out here and are setting down new roots, you should get a new whitelighter! Someone... outside the family.

MELINDA  
What? Why? I don't want a-

LEO  
Okay, goodnight. Get some sleep!

Leo orbs out of the room, leaving Melinda holding the book.

MELINDA  
(trailing off)  
-new whitelighter. Dad?

There is no response.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Ugh!

She looks around the room, assessing her situation. She opens the door to the hallway, but after seeing a couple of students milling about, closes it.

There is a pause, and then she scrunches her face and orbs out of the room, book still in hand.

**EXT. RES HALL ROOF - NIGHT**

Melinda stands in her pajamas, hair being gently tossed by the wind. She grips the spellbook to her chest.

MELINDA  
(at a normal speaking level)  
Hey, um. I don't know if you can hear me right now, but, hi, I'm you're new charge. My name's Melinda, and I have a question about this spellbook-

EFFIE  
He-ey girlfri-end! Hate to be ru-ude, but the rooftop is actually off-limits, to, like, stude-ents, and stuff! I know, it's such a bummer-r! So you're gonna have to go ba-ack downstair-rs

Melinda turns around to face Effie, quickly tucking the spellbook behind her back, and stammers out a response

MELINDA  
Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was off-limits because, um, I just really needed some fresh air, because you know I'm not used to like dorm life yet so-

EFFIE  
Sorry, sister-r! But rules are ru-ules! So I am going to have to write you u-up! Ugh, I know-ow, I'm sorr-ry, bu-ut-  
(Effie suddenly switches to a thick Scottish accent)  
On god, Melinda, your face is the funniest thing right now. And I can still see the grimoire, you're not hiding it.

Melinda tries to form a sentence but chokes on her words.

MELINDA  
I- sorry?

EFFIE  
(continuing in her accent)  
The grimoire. It is real, if that was your question.

Effie holds out her hands

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
Can I see it?

Melinda awkwardly hands the book to Effie, mind still reeling.

Effie opens it, supporting it with one hand, and hold her other hand out above it. Her palm starts to glow gold and the pages begin to flip rapidly.

EFFIE  
Oh, no, this is a good one. You know how to pick them.

MELINDA  
I- it's- um- it's Ale's book.

Effie makes a questioning face.

EFFIE  
Oh, she a witch too?

MELINDA  
Not- not to my knowledge. I'm sorry, I need to sit down.

Melinda plops down cross-legged on the gravel of the roof, head resting in her hands. She's practicing her controlled breathing.

Effie squats down beside her, and tucks the book into her lap.

EFFIE  
So what was your question?

Melinda rests her hands on the book and looks up at Effie.

MELINDA  
You're my whitelighter?

EFFIE  
Euphemina Paterson, at your service.

Effie smiles and flicks out her hand. A couple of orbs lightly dance before fading away.

MELINDA  
(still absolutely reeling)  
Huh.

EFFIE  
Oh don't worry darling you're working with one of the best in the game. I've been doing this since the twenties.

MELINDA  
Like... Gatsby?

Effie cocks her head.

EFFIE  
Wrong twenties.

Effie helps Melinda back to her feet.

MELINDA  
The 1820s?

EFFIE  
Try the 1720s. But I don't do America that much, believe it or not. But when I was offered the opportunity to work with one of the Halliwells, well! That's not an opportunity you see every century. And! I get to use my  
(hard transition back to the nasally American accent)  
lovel-ly American accent! Ah!  
(and she's Scottish again)  
I mean, who could say no to that?

MELINDA  
Yeah, nope, put me back down I need to sit back down again.

Effie gently lets Melinda sit back down on the ground, and then sits cross-legged opposite her.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Okay, so you- Eff- Euph-

EFFIE  
I'm going by Effie at the moment, y'know, trying to blend in a little more. I'll tell you I certainly got the short end of the stick. My sisters? Isabelle and Maggie! So those aged better! And I got stuck with the old lady name, but you can thank The Hunger Games for-

MELINDA  
Please! Please- just. Slow down.

Effie nods, slowly.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
You are my whitelighter.

Effie nods.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
And you're from the 1700s.

EFFIE  
Well, I bit it in like 1701, it just took the Elders a bit to pluck me out of limbo, y'know, so-

She takes a beat, registering the look on Melinda face.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
Not important right now.

Melinda nods and takes a deep breath.

MELINDA  
Okay... you're my whitelighter. You're from the 1700s-ish. You're Scottish.

EFFIE  
(in her American accent)  
But let's keep that on the DL he-ere.

MELINDA  
Sure. Okay. You're my whitelighter, you're old, you're Scottish... I think... I think that's all I need to process right now. Okay... yeah... um...

EFFIE  
(Scottish accent, but significantly slower than we've ever heard her talk)  
Did you... have a question for me?

Melinda snaps out of her haze, and sets her hands on the book.

MELINDA  
Yes! Was this book sent to me for a reason? Like, was I supposed to find it?

EFFIE  
Did you find it?

MELINDA  
No. My roommate did. But-

EFFIE  
Well I think that answers your question. I'll still check upstairs for you, but I think you best let it be.

Melinda winces.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
That's not really your strong suit is it?

MELINDA  
Not hardly.

Effie laughs.

EFFIE  
Ah, well. Get some sleep.  
(American)  
Gotta get that beauty re-est, sister!

MELINDA  
(under her breath)  
Yeah that's never gonna not be jarring.

Effie smiles and orbs out.

Melinda leafs through the book one last time, before orbing off the rooftop as well.

**INT. DORM ROOM - NIGHT**

Melinda sets the book back on Ale's desk and starts to head back to bed. She sits on the edge of the mattress, then pauses. She tiptoes back to the desk and puts the socks back on top of the book. She looks back over at Ale. She hasn't moved.

Melinda crawls into bed and pulls the covers up to her chin, letting out a deep sigh. She falls asleep to the sound of her own breathing.

**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - MORNING**

Light rays start to poke through the windows of Kat's apartment, spilling light onto the counter tops. Though it's much before most get out of bed, Kat is already milling about the kitchen, wearing an over-sized flannel over a tank top and gym shorts.

She puts a kettle on the stove and lays out a map of the city on the counter (read: multiple pages of google maps printed out and taped together). Out of a black fabric pouch she pulls a citrine pendulum, and she starts to scry, gently swinging the crystal in circle covering the map.

The kettle starts whistling before she has yielded any results. She scowls and drops the pendulum, and fixes a mug of tea instead.

She lets her drink steep, scowl now directed at a closet near the hallway.

She rolls her eyes and continues to scry, but after a couple unsatisfying results, slams the pendulum back on the counter, eyes on the closet.

She glares at it for just a second longer, then takes a hearty swig of her tea and storms over to the door.

Inside the closet isn't much, just a couple of jackets on hangers and a couple of boots on the ground, but it's what's tucked in the back corner that she's looking for.

Kat moves aside some jackets and grabs the hilt of a lemure sword, flecks of dried blood still on the blade.

She sets it on the counter and takes another big gulp of tea before wrapping the pendulum around the handle of the weapon and scrying once more.

We can hear that the magic here is stronger than before, and for a second it seems like it might actually work... until it doesn't.

Kat drops her head against the tiling and groans.

She pulls her phone out of the pocket of her gym shorts and turns her head slightly so she can see the screen (but she does not lift her head off the counter, that would take too much effort).

She opens her messages app and starts to pen a text to Chris:

how tf am i supposed to scry for sumn if i dont have anything to scry with

She rotates her head so it's facing back down on the tile, and groans once more. Then she forces herself up and pours another cup of tea. She stares at her phone while drinking, waiting for an incoming message.

She rolls her eyes and opens her phone again.

i kno ur not asleep its like 4 over there answer me

No response.

chris

chris

chris

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON**

Chris is asleep. In a horribly awkward position, mind you, but that's what happens when you have to keep rotating to avoid the sunlight coming in from the window.

There is a buzzing coming from his phone on the nightstand; a repeating double "zzz-zz" for ever text that comes in.

He reaches up to get it (yes, up, his mattress is lives on the ground), and squints through the bright light of his screen.

Texts keep flooding in from Kat.

He sits up, bleary eyed, and starts reading his texts.

As he opens the notifications another text comes through:

chris on god if ur asleep rn

Chris makes a judgmental face at his phone before scrolling to the top of the messages to see the initial question.

He reads it then pauses, letting an idea grow.

He sends a text.

call wyatt.

He lays back down, reaching for a set of slate gray sheets that have been kicked to the end of the bed, and tucks himself back in.

He bolts upright and starts typing rapidly.

i feel like i need to to clarify please dont use wyatt as the object for your scrying

The phone buzzes as he hits send, and a new message appears right above his:

yo do u think i could use wyatt as the object for my scrying

**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - MORNING**

Kat finishes a third mug of tea as her phone keeps buzzing.

kat dont do that

did u read my text dont do that

She writes a quick text before orbing out of the room.

thx for the adivce :)

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON**

Chris is now stumbling around the room, putting on clothes. He throws on a final t shirt and grabs his phone, putting it in his pocket.

He pauses, noticing a post-it on the nightstand. On it has a phone number and a girl's name. "Call me! xoxo Julie". He pauses for a moment, squinting at it. A moment of realization. He crumples it up and throws it at the trash.

He misses, rolls his eyes, and the orbs it in.

He orbs out of the room

**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - MORNING**

Chris orbs in, talking before he's fully formed.

CHRIS  
When I said "call Wyatt" I meant for his advice, not to use him as-

He pauses, looking around the room.

CHRIS  
Kat?  
(under his breath)  
Oh, come on, do not tell me-

Two figures orb in behind Chris.

WYATT  
Hey, Chris, are you gonna be a talisman too?

Chris pauses, slack-jawed, before turning to Kat, forming a glare and part of a sentence.

CHRIS  
When I said-

KAT  
(to Wyatt)  
Yeah, I called him too.

Kat smooths out her map and picks up her pendulum.

KAT (CONT'D)  
Alright, fellas, hands in.

Kat holding the string by a fist, and both Wyatt and Chris place their palms atop the back of her hand.

Kat takes a deep breath and the pendulum starts spinning.

Wyatt's hand glows the classic whitelighter gold, whereas Chris's glows with the traditional blue/white color of orbs.

The crystal picks up speed, spinning violently before tanking straight town, marking an intersection on the map.

KAT (CONT'D)  
(surprised)  
It worked!

She looks in at where the crystal landed, and perks up as she realizes she knows exactly where that is.

KAT (CONT'D)  
Thanks, guys!

She darts off into her bedroom, shutting the door.

Chris shrugs, and starts to orb out.

WYATT  
Wait!

He reaches out to grab Chris; it doesn't do much, but he rematerializes anyway.

CHRIS  
What?

WYATT  
You're leaving?

CHRIS  
Our services here are kinda done, so yeah.

WYATT  
We've gotta help her find the... thing! Whatever it is.

CHRIS  
Yeah. We just did that.

WYATT  
Look, if it was powerful enough to take three of the strongest witches to find it-

Chris makes a face - it probably only took Wyatt - but his brother blows straight past that.

WYATT (CONT'D)  
-then it's definitely not safe to let Kat find it on her own.

Chris studies Wyatt. He definitely worries too much, making mountains out of molehills was his signature move, but Chris found himself agreeing with him. Maybe he noticed the bloodstained sword on the ground.

Kat emerges from the bedroom; she's swapped out her gym shorts for black jeans and has moved the flannel from oversized jacket mode to chic-tied-around-the-waist mode. She goes for the closet and starts putting on a pair of real shoes before she notices the two cousins still in the kitchen.

KAT  
Oh, you guys can leave now, if you want.

WYATT  
Oh, we, um, we figured we'd help you out.

CHRIS  
Yeah I wanna know what the thing turns out to be.

KAT  
Alright, then. Let's roll.

### ACT II

  
**INT. HENRY'S BEDROOM - MORNING**

Henry lazily wakes up, rolling over to the side and holding up his phone to check the time.

The screen displays 10:47 over a generic lockscreen.

Henry squints, turns his phone off, then turns it back on again. It's the same screen.

He frowns and rolls out of bed.

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - MORNING**

Henry pops two waffles into the toaster and unlocks his phone. He attempts to flip through the pages, but there are only two, so instead he swipes back and forth through them.

He opens the messages app; plenty of texts are there, but they all seem to be from other people. He opens up a conversation with PJ, but it only displays messages from her, and none from him.

He closes messages and opens music instead. There is still a lot of music displayed, but Henry frowns. There should be a lot more.

The waffles pop up with a Ding! and Henry jumps a little. He leaves his phone on the kitchen island and goes to grab a plate and some syrup from the fridge.

While the phone is unattended, the same blue glowing bug from last night worms its way out of the charging port. At least, we think it's that same bug from last night, but it's roughly tripled in size since we last saw it. It's now almost the size of the phone itself.

The creature pauses for a little bit, stretching itself out, before popping into two creatures (mitosis!) and scurrying off to today's paper on the far end of the island.

Henry sits down and starts to eat his breakfast. Either he can't see the bugs or he is very chill with glowing blue cockroaches.

He opens is phone again, only to repeat the same actions again, his face growing increasingly confused.

Tamora stumbles into the kitchen and goes straight for the coffee pot. She is wearing a pair of pajama shorts covered in dogs, with a matching "totally pawsome!" shirt. Unfortunately, Tamora is feeling the exact opposite of "totally pawsome!".

She looks out at Henry, her face half hidden behind her mane of curly hair and the mug that she kept pressed to her upper lip, trying to aromatherapy herself into being awake.

TAMORA  
Why do you look like that?

HENRY  
(without looking up)  
Like what?

TAMORA  
Like you're... trying to read something in like a foreign language.

HENRY  
My phone's broken

TAMORA  
Broken how?

Henry is about to toss his phone to Tamora, he even starts he motion, but then realizes who he's dealing with right now.

Tamora has already turned her back and is in a fetal position protecting her coffee, waiting for a sudden rectangular impact. Nothing comes, and she unfurls herself, turning to see Henry holding out his phone to her.

She takes it and unlocks it.

TAMORA (CONT'D)  
Didn't you have a password? And a background.

HENRY  
Yeah, I also had an alarm set this morning, Instagram installed on my phone, outgoing text messages, and all of Frank Ocean's music, and yet.

TAMORA  
Were you hacked? Or do you think it's something...

She makes a face that is meant to represent the word "demonic", but ends up looking like she just caught a whiff of some horrible scent.

HENRY  
I don't know, I mean it's not fully back to, like, factory settings, but what kind of demon messes up my phone settings and leaves?

Tamora shrugs.

TAMORA  
I don't know, you could ask Peyton to try to fix your phone. Or Chris. I'll ask mom if she knows any... phone... ruining... demons.

HENRY  
Maybe polish up the terminology a little bit before you do. I'll go do some reading.

Henry starts to exit the kitchen and Tamora tries to follow suit, but he turns around and stops her.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Nope. Breakfast. Most important meal of the day. Go eat something, I'll see you later.

Tamora rolls her eyes but doesn't protest as Henry continues down the hall, going into the first door on his left.

**INT. PANTRY - DAY**

He enters a pantry stocked with flour, sugar, and cornstarch, and maybe a couple items a common household cook wouldn't recognize. Leprechaun's gold, unicorn hair, holy water, etc.

At the end of the pantry there's a door, a nice, big, mahogany door with a large, embellished handle in the center of it.

Henry turns the handle, unimpressed - it's routine at this point, and enters one of the many hallways in magic school.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY**

The halls are relatively quiet as Henry paces through them, though he passes a couple classes with activity.

In one, an old man in traditional robes lectures to a class of roughly ten students. Not a single one of them is engaged.

In another, a pyromancer shoots streams of flames at targets propped up on pedestals; his friend follows close behind with an extinguisher.

In a third, a girl sits in meditation, hovering approximately six feet off the ground. Wait.

Henry backtracks, and pokes his head into that room.

HENRY  
PJ!

**INT. CLASSROOM - DAY**

PJ's eyes snap open and she drops a foot before regaining control and sinking to the ground in a more dignified manner. She lands on her feet.

PJ  
You need something?

HENRY  
Where's Peyton?

PJ  
In the library.

PJ reaches for the chain around her neck.

PJ (CONT'D)  
You want me to call her?

HENRY  
Nah, I'm going there anyway.

PJ  
So what I'm hearing is that you didn't need to bug me just now?

HENRY  
Don't be ridiculous Peej, I always need to bug you.

PJ rolls her eyes and starts to lift off the ground again, resuming her meditation.

Henry turns to leave, flashing a little glowing bug crawling up the center of his back.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL LIBRARY - DAY**

There are few libraries that can rival that at magic school - the only one that presently comes to mind would be that from Beauty and the Beast. Floor to ceiling: books. Two stories. Even those sliding ladders for optimal convenience. And in the center, a bunch of cozy plush chairs to sit in and waste away the day reading, one of which Peyton Halliwell was currently occupying.

HENRY  
(whispering, this is a library)  
Peyton.

Peyton looks up from a math textbook - not fun witch math, just normal math.

HENRY  
I need your help.

Henry hold up his phone. Peyton takes it from Henry, turning it on to the lockscreen.

PEYTON  
What's your password?

HENRY  
It's gone.

Peyton looks confused. Henry reaches over and swipes the screen, displaying the contents of his phone.

Peyton takes a moment, studying the screen, before shutting her textbook and getting up, leaving the book behind on the chair.

She and Henry leave the library, but not before the bug jumps ship off of Henry and onto Peyton's book.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL MAIN HALL - DAY**

Peyton and Henry both stand off to the side in the main hall, vocal volume back to normal. Peyton hold Henry's phone in her hand and scrolls through her laptop at the same time

PEYTON  
When did this happen?

HENRY  
Must have been sometime last night; it was working fine went I went to pick up Tamora.

Peyton pulls out a cord and connect the laptop and computer, then proceeds to open various files until she finds what she's looking for.

PEYTON  
I mean, parts of the files just seem to have been erased.

With a couple quick keystrokes, the laptop now display lines of code. Peyton quickly scrolls through, not bothering to read too closely, before crtl+f-ing a couple phrases, then closing the laptop.

She unplugs Henry's phone and hands it back to him.

PEYTON (CONT'D)  
It looks like you've lost a bunch of stuff, but it didn't look like anything was added. It could be a virus, but...

HENRY  
Why make a virus that does that?

PEYTON  
I don't know. Maybe there's something I'm just not seeing.

HENRY  
Do you think it could be...?

He makes the same face Tamora did earlier, the one that says "read: demonic".

PEYTON  
I don't know.

Peyton hates saying those words almost as much as she hates being wrong, but here, it's better to fess up rather than lead someone astray.

PEYTON  
I wish I did.

HENRY  
No worries, cuz. I'll figure it out.

Peyton heads sullenly back to the library. Henry wanders out until he reaches the door marked by a plaque reading "P. Matthews". He knocks gently.

**INT. PAIGE'S OFFICE - DAY**

Paige has a stack of papers on her desk and is slowly working through pile, scribbling notes on each one. She doesn't look up as the door opens.

PAIGE  
My office hours aren't until tomorrow, 3 to 5-

HENRY  
It's just me.

Paige sets down her quill and immediately gets up to give her son a hug.

PAIGE  
I didn't see you this morning, are you feeling okay?

She reached out and put the back of her hand on his forehead, and then both cheeks.

Henry smiles and pulls her hand away from his face.

HENRY  
I'm fine, mom. My alarm didn't go off, my phone's busted.

PAIGE  
Do you need to get it fixed?

HENRY  
I don't know. I don't know if it's a normal issue or if it's a, uh-

PAIGE  
Magical issue?

HENRY  
Something like that. Is there anything that would just, like, steal files off of my phone?

Paige purses her lips.

PAIGE  
There might have been something like that, a couple years back in...

She trails off to the sound off sneakers pounding the floor.

Her and Henry look outside to see Tamora barrelling towards them.

TAMORA  
(out of breath)  
Henry... can you give me a ride to campus... totally forgot a study group... hi mom...

PAIGE  
Hi, sweetie, you okay?

TAMORA  
(smiles)  
No... Henry?

HENRY  
Um, yeah, lemme grab my keys.

Tamora nods and starts sprinting in the other direction.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
I guess I better...

PAIGE  
I'll look into your situation, see what I can find.

HENRY  
Thanks, mom.

He gives her a quick hug goodbye before running down the hallway after his sister.

PAIGE  
Drive safe!

**INT. HENRY'S CAR - DAY**

The two are stuck in traffic. Tamora's leg is bouncing up and down aggressively as she talks on the phone.

TAMORA  
No, yeah, I'll be there in fifteen- I'll be there in ten. Okay. See you soon.

She ends the call and immediately continues ranting to Henry.

TAMORA  
Because you know the first thing I do in the morning is check my planner. And I should have been suspicious that there was nothing today because I never have blank days but I figured I'd go with it and then! Lauren's calling me asking where I am and if I'm coming to the study group because we have this like group project coming up, which I knew and I knew I knew it and I knew this thing was today but I just!

She continues on, and Henry pretends to listen, nodding and offering affirmations in the right places, but his mind is somewhere else.

He pulls up to the curb and Tamora hops out, grabbing her bag and yelling a quick-

TAMORA  
Thanks!

-before sprinting to the library. He sits there for just a little bit longer, drumming his thumbs and dwelling on some deep thought, before pulling back into traffic.

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

Henry arrives back at home and wanders aimlessly into the kitchen. He flips over the newspaper; he doesn't read the paper but he will occasionally look at the front headlines and see if anything warrants awareness. It certainly does.

There are entire articles just missing off of the front page, and one of the large photos in the center has a jagged trail cut through it of just... nothing. The paper is there, but the lack of ink has caused a miniature earthquake across an image of the local Boys and Girls Club garden.

Henry opens the paper, finding more and more missing text.

He grabs his phone and searches "sf chronicle printing error", but it doesn't yield anything that answers his question.

He is scrolling down the results page when his phone displays an incoming call. There is no contact name or photo, but Henry looks at the number in vague recognition.

HENRY  
Yeah?

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY**

Peyton walks down the hall with a bag on her shoulder and a book in her hand.

PEYTON  
Don't freak out, I think you're contagious.

HENRY (V.O.)  
I'm- what-

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

HENRY  
Who- Peyton?

PEYTON (V.O.)  
Did you lose my contact?

HENRY  
I must have- what do you mean contagious?

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY**

PEYTON  
I mean I came back from helping you to find words literally vanishing off the pages of my book.

She props the book open and we see words vanish, as if being deleted in type.

Upon a second look, we see there are now three bugs crawling across the page, and we can be quite confident that Peyton does not see them or the one that is crawling up her cheek.

She reaches the same door through which Henry entered earlier.

HENRY (V.O.)  
No, it's the weirdest thing, because I think the same thing happened-

Peyton enters through the door, ending up in the pantry.

**INT. PANTRY - DAY**

She closes the door behind her and the bug crawls into her ear. She doesn't seem to notice.

HENRY (O.S.)  
-to the paper today. Do you really think-

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

HENRY  
-I'm the one spreading this?

Peyton enters the kitchen and plops her textbook down on the counter. Henry jumps and hangs up the call.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Hi, Peyton.

PEYTON  
I don't think it's your fault, Henry. I just think that something latched onto you and is using you for... transportation.

Henry squirms a little, turning around and brushing himself off. You can tell he's very upset by this because he even passes up and opportunity to joke about how he's the one who drives everyone everywhere.

HENRY  
Okay, well, can we get it out of me?

PEYTON  
I could try doing a basic exorcism spell, but I might want to get-

Peyton is cut off by Henry's phone ringing, again, no name and photo, but Henry answers it anyway.

A shaky voice comes from the other end.

**INT. JANITORIAL CLOSET - DAY**

Tamora stands in the corner of a closet, half crying, half panting, fully on the verge of a breakdown.

TAMORA  
Henry? I'm thinking something up. All my notes are just gone, and all of my stuff's useless, and the group was all like-

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

HENRY  
Woah, woah, okay, breathe. Breathe. Can I send Peyton to come get you?

Henry hears a high-pitched whimper from the other end of the line, and takes that as an affirmative.

He mouths to Peyton, "Tamora", and she nods, beaming out.

Seconds later, two hearts start to form in the kitchen, forming Peyton and Tamora around them.

Tamora hangs up the call and immediately starts pacing. Snot is start to run from her nose and tears are welling in her eyes.

She pauses and leans against the counter, taking in deep breaths.

Henry places his hand on hers, she grips it tightly, still focusing on her breathing, and starts to gain control again.

She turns to the two and smiles weakly.

TAMORA  
Yikes.

She laughs lightly, but her breath is still shaky.

Henry starts talking, slowly, keeping his eyes on his sister.

HENRY  
We think there's something that's... eating information. Off my phone, out of textbooks, the newspaper, your notes. We think I might be ground zero.

Tamora nods, taking it in.

TAMORA  
I don't think you are.

She lets go of her brother hand and goes and gets some tissues. She blows her nose, then regains some proper composition before resuming her thought.

TAMORA (CONT'D)  
Whatever's happening, it's happening all over the library.

HENRY  
What do you mean?

TAMORA  
I mean right now we say we have a problem with the wi-fi, because documents aren't saving. Nathan wrote three pages of his essay in the library, came home, only had one. I know I had a book full of notes, now I only have highlighter marks in random places.

PEYTON  
So whatever it is, it started at your school?

TAMORA  
I think so.

Peyton nods, but slowly, there's something she's unsure of.

HENRY  
Okay, so how do we stop it?

Tamora and Peyton look at each other, frowning.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Great.

### ACT III

  
**EXT. ITALIAN STREET CORNER - DAY**

Life has started to pick up as people drive by or walk past, no one really rushing, except for three people.

Kat, Wyatt, and Chris all seem to have a nervous energy about them, examining each face that walks past, but trying to be subtle about it.

They mill about, poking into stores, trying to see if anything remotely out of the ordinary occurs, but no dice. The only unusual thing out today are three Americans who need to stop looking like they're on a manhunt.

Not admitting defeat but at least admitting hunger, the three stop, choosing to grab a quick bite at a nearby cafe.

**EXT. CAFE PATIO - DAY**

The three sit at a table near the far corner of the patio, still scanning the crowds for anything out of the ordinary.

Kat reaches into the bag at her feet and pulls out a small compass. It looks almost like every other compass, but the needle is crystal.

KAT  
Wyatt can you try to position it again?

Wyatt takes the compass and studies it.

WYATT  
Wait, can you use this for scrying? Where did you get this?

KAT  
Just in a small eclectic shop in southern Germany.

Wyatt is not using the compass, instead he's flipped it over and is studying the design etched into the back.

WYATT  
(muttering to himself)  
Looks like it's made of brass but the etching is very much-

CHRIS  
Wyatt. Sorta have higher priorities at the moment.

WYATT  
Right, of course.

He rest the compass in his palm and closes his eyes. The needle starts spinning rapidly and-

KAT  
Put it away!

Wyatt closes his fist around it and slides it into his pocket as VIOLA, a waitress in her late teens/early 20's, approaches the table with a dazzling smile.

VIOLA  
(in Italian)  
Morning Kat! You want your usual?

KAT  
(in Italian)  
Good morning, Viola. Yeah, I'll my usual. And these guys will have...  
(in English)  
What do you guys want?

Wyatt smiles politely and speaks effortlessly.

WYATT  
(in Italian)  
I'll have an espresso and a fruit scone, please.

VIOLA  
(in Italian)  
Raspberry or blueberry?

WYATT  
(in Italian)  
Raspberry.

Chris is suffering.

CHRIS  
(in English)  
Just water, thanks.

Viola nods and leaves, turning on her heel. Kat watches her go. Chris is glaring at Wyatt.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
Do not tell me you got omnilingualism.

WYATT  
(defensive)  
I studied Italian!

KAT  
Do you guys not have omnilingualism?

CHRIS/WYATT  
What?

Kat shrugs it off.

KAT  
Not important right now. Can you get the compass to work?

Wyatt pulls the compass out of his pocket, but then immediately stuffs it back in as he sees Viola heading towards them.

Viola sets down each of their orders with her same signature smile; Kat turns light pink and chooses to focus on the croissant and tea being set in front of her.

Viola leaves again and Wyatt immediately whips out the compass. It spins rapidly, before slowing down and lazily coming to a stop, point across the road. All three heads snap in that direction.

There's a man doing a bad job at parallel parking and a woman coming out of a wine store with three rosés. Neither seem like a great source of power.

Kat plucks the compass out of Wyatt's hand. The needle moves with it, now pointing at the bookstore on the corner.

Frowning, Kat sets the compass on the table table, slowing turning it. The needle moves with the rest of the compass, indicating everything, and, in turn, nothing.

CHRIS  
So it's busted.

Kat slips the compass back in her bag.

KAT  
It would appear so.

CHRIS  
You think it's dicking with us? Just messing up any tracking spells and laughing.

KAT  
Probably just has a really strong cloaking. How many things can cloak?

WYATT  
It's a neutral power. Whitelighters have it, some upper-level demons have it, avatars, I think fae can as well...

KAT  
Anyone we know?

WYATT  
Of the hyphenates? I don't think so. It's not a cupid power, so none of the cupitches. I can't-

He looks at Chris.

CHRIS  
I can't and I don't think Melinda can either.

KAT  
So it's not a witch. A whitelighter?

CHRIS  
Doesn't make sense. There would really be no reason for one to have strong enough power to call a lemure army, and no reason for one to cloak itself, unless it's gone rogue.

WYATT  
In which case, the elders strip their powers.

KAT  
Okay so I'm not dealing with a good guy.

WYATT  
But you could be dealing with a neutral guy. If there are any fae around, I would go ask them what they've seen.

Kat looks dismayed and picks at her croissant. Wyatt attempts to change the subject.

WYATT (CONT'D)  
How are you healing? from, um...

Maybe not the best shift in direction.

KAT  
From being shiskebabed? I would say a lot better than most.

CHRIS  
You kept the sword.

KAT  
That almost killed me? Yeah, I thought it could help me find what called the lemures. Also it's a sword.

WYATT  
You could just get a sword from somewhere else. One that hasn't almost killed you.

KAT  
But this one's free. Everyone know that if you get run through with a sword, the sword is now legally yours.

Chris laughs into his drink, Wyatt is looking very concerned. Kat capitalizes on this quick distraction and stands.

KAT (CONT'D)  
I'm gonna go pay the bill.

Kat gets up and approaches Viola at the counter inside, rooting around her bag for her wallet. The two engage in conversation, both smiling brightly.

WYATT  
I think we should stay.

CHRIS  
What?

WYATT  
This thing, whatever it is, it's clearly more powerful than any of our magic. We can't just leave Kat here trying to find it.

CHRIS  
I think that's exactly why we can leave Kat here: she's never gonna find it. And in a couple weeks, she'll move on and be in a new country before you can say...

He struggles to think of a word to complete the phrase.

CHRIS  
Whatever, you get my point.

WYATT  
And what if she gets in trouble?

CHRIS  
Then she'll call us like she always does. But until then, she'll keep vanquishing low-level pests, eating croissants in the wrong country, and not asking out the waitress she clearly has a crush on.

Wyatt's jaw drops. He looks over at Kat's empty seat, then over to where she stands, chatting it up with Viola. Her ears are pink.

WYATT  
Oh my god.

Chris looks at his brother, face blank. Wyatt simultaneously held the titles for strongest power of any witch and weakest romantic radar of any man.

Kat returns to the table and Wyatt tried to put on some semblance of a normal face.

Kat shoots a confused look at him, and then one to Chris. Chris gives the smalls shake of his head, so she decides to blow past it.

KAT  
I know there's a fairy circle just out of town, I figure I'll hit that up around dusk. You guys don't have to stay for that though, I don't think it'll go anywhere.

CHRIS  
Yeah, we were just thinking of heading back.

WYATT  
But call us if you need anything.

CHRIS  
And call your waitress friend, too.

Kat's eyes bug out at Chris's comment.

Wyatt goes in for a hug goodbye.

WYATT  
You guys would make a cute couple.

Kat makes eye contact with Chris over Wyatt's shoulder and mouths, "I'll kill you".

Chris smirks and gives his cousin a quick hug goodbye before he and his brother head down the street and turn into a narrow alley.

Just above the rooftops, Kat can see a couple orbs float up before vanishing completely.

She rolls her eyes and starts the walk back home.

### ACT IV

  
**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

Tamora stands over a pot on the stove stirring a cobalt liquid. Peyton leans on the counter, as Henry sits and scribbles notes on a pad of paper.

TAMORA  
We don't have any solomon's seal.

Henry frowns and scratches that off his pad of paper.

HENRY  
Do we have juniper berries?

Tamora shuffles through a drawer and pulls out a jar full of dark purple berries.

TAMORA  
How much?

Henry shrugs. Tamora examines the jar, then looks in the pot, and decides to pour the whole jar in.

There is a sudden puff of smoke and a couple blue sparks that shoot out.

TAMORA (CONT'D)  
Alright.

Henry marks juniper berries with a little checkmark. He looks closer at the pad. Underneath the scratches, the words "solomons seal" start to vanish.

He stands up so quickly that his chair falls down behind him.

TAMORA (CONT'D)  
What?

Henry stammers as the words "juniper berries" starts going too.

Peyton yelps and launches herself off the counter and positions herself next to Tamora.

Tamora throws up her hands. There is a tiny explosion on the pad, and a blue fluorescent goop flies across the room. Henry catches most of it.

There's a beat, and then he leans into the pad.

The is a tiny scorch ring on the paper, in an oval shape roughly four inches long.

He looks up at his sister, whose hands are still up in a blasting position.

HENRY  
It's a thing.

TAMORA  
What?

HENRY  
A thing.

He measures the size of the scorch marks with his hand and holds it up for display.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Like, a physical thing.

A moment of realization passes across Peyton's face.

PEYTON  
Wait. I know what we need.

She starts to beam out.

HENRY  
(yelling)  
What do we need?

PEYTON  
(almost fully gone)  
Glasses!

**INT. MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Peyton beams into the attic and spins around until her eyes lock on a trunk in the corner.

She immediately runs over to it and lifts the lid, revealing what looks like a bunch of useless tchotchkes: a parasol, a pair of pink sunglasses, a length of rope, et al.

Peyton pauses, unsure.

She stands upright, looking around.

PEYTON  
(to herself)  
What did I want again?

She looks back at the trunk, and hesitantly picks up the length of rope.

PEYTON (CONT'D)  
No, come on, think. Henry, Tamora, words, explosion, glasses!

She grabs the pink shades and puts them on. She keeps the rope (just in case), and beams out.

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

Peyton materializes in the kitchen and immediately starts screaming.

The kitchen is covered in bugs; the smallest maybe the size of a thumb, the largest is the size of her laptop.

She immediately takes off the glasses and throws them on the counter.

PEYTON  
Don't put those on.

Henry tentatively reaches out for the glasses.

HENRY  
Why?

Peyton shakes her head at him, but Henry puts them on anyway.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Jesus Christ!

He immediately takes the glasses off, then slowly puts them back on.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Oh, I hate this.

TAMORA  
Give me the glasses.

HENRY  
Tam, it is because I love you that I'm not going to let you put on these glasses.

Henry starts slowly backing out of the kitchen, eyes tracking the largest bug, which is slowly making its way towards the brew in the pot.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
But could you please just aim a blast at the bottom right burner?

Tamora looks confused, but flicks out her hands at the stove. Blue goop flies everywhere, splattering the kitchen.

TAMORA  
Henry! Give me those glasses!

She darts towards the doorway and Henry takes off the shades and hides them behind his back.

HENRY  
No! You're gonna hate it, you don't want to see it, trust me on this!

Tamora attempts to wrestle the glasses out of Henry's hands, so he relents and hands her the shades.

She pops them on and sees a single bug (at a standard roach size) scurry down Henry's pant leg towards the kitchen.

She inhales sharply and hands the glasses back to him.

TAMORA  
Give me a minute.

She leans against the walls of the hallway, controlling her breathing.

Henry puts the glasses back on and heads back into the kitchen. Peyton is still where she beamed in, standing exceptionally still.

PEYTON  
Henry?

HENRY  
Mm?

PEYTON  
Are any on me right now?

There are two on her, both working their way down her leg. One pops out of her ear and starts traveling down her back.

HENRY  
No, you're good. They're all heading towards-

Henry gasps and bolts for the pantry.

PEYTON  
Heading towards what?!

**INT. PANTRY - DAY**

Henry pops the shades on top of his head and starts to rummage through the shelves.

Henry grabs a mason jar labeled "oak twigs", another one with "lilac blossoms", and a third with "elderberries (do NOT eat!!)". He is about to leave when he sees a can of insect killer. He shrugs and grabs that too.

**INT. MITCHELL KITCHEN - DAY**

Henry sets his loot on the kitchen counter.

HENRY  
They're heading towards to potion.

Peyton leans forward, looking for more information.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Think! It was going to be a knowledge potion to bring back the information lost! But that's like setting out sugar for them.

Her eyes wide in realization.

PEYTON  
So we're adding more?

HENRY  
We're adding more.

Henry grabs fistfuls out of the various collected goods and hands them to Peyton, who drops them in the potion. It sparks and foams in response.

PEYTON  
How are we doing?

Henry puts the shades back on and looks at the stove. It's covering in bugs. Without breaking eye contact, he grabs the can of insect killer.

HENRY  
Final ingredient.

Peyton grabs the can and sprays a little into the potion, then pauses, and just drops the whole thing in.

Blue goo starts launching itself about. Peyton throws up her hands, deflecting the layer and layer of bug guts coming at her.

Henry watches as the bugs dive into the potion and promptly explode, effectively coating his shirt in a bright blue glow.

HENRY  
Mark that down as a "w".

### ACT V

  
**INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**

Peyton rests on the couch next to Tamora, who is leafing through her notebook.

Henry enters, putting on a clean t shirt.

TAMORA  
You know, I was really hoping I'd get my notes back.

HENRY  
Yeah, my phone's still busted.

He flops onto the couch.

PEYTON  
I feel like once you vanquish things, their damage should be undone.

TAMORA  
Yeah!

There is a moment of silence, and then all three bolt up.

HENRY/PEYTON/TAMORA  
The library!

HENRY  
We didn't vanquish the leader of the hive.

PEYTON  
We still have potion.

TAMORA  
The library closes in half an hour. We can beam in, kill the biggest one, and everything should go back to normal, right?

PEYTON  
Not glasses!

She quickly puts her finger to the tip of her nose, Tamora rapidly follows suit.

Henry gives a resigned sigh and puts the pink sunglasses back on.

**INT. SF STATE LIBRARY - NIGHT**

The three beam into the library, each wearing trash bags with small holes for their heads and cheap science protection goggles. Peyton holds a jar filled with the dark blue potion and Tamora holds a small mixing bowl.

Henry audibly yelps as he looks around the room; it's absolutely infested.

PEYTON  
Can you tell which one's the biggest?

HENRY  
(an octave higher than normal)  
Yeah, think so.

His eyes are fixed on the ceiling, where a bug about the size of a minivan is crawling.

PEYTON  
Great!

She starts to unscrew the jar and Tamora holds out the bowl for her to pour it in.

HENRY  
That's... too small for this.

Peyton pauses, not pouring the potion.

PEYTON  
So what do we do?

HENRY  
Who has the best aim?

Peyton and Tamora's fingers immediately fly to their nose.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Of course.

The critter has caught wind of the open jar and has started to scuttle towards the trio.

Peyton and Tamora see Henry start to scamper back, but they don't see anything on the ceiling.

PEYTON  
I'm really glad I can't see what's going on.

She screws the lid back on the jar and hands it to Henry. He takes it, hand shaking.

Tamora reaches out, taking her brother's hand. He squeezes it and takes a deep breath.

HENRY  
One shot, one kill. Good ole Tommy B.

He yeets the jar towards the ceiling, and it shatters on the back of the creature. Nothing happens.

Then the bug starts screeching a single, high-pitched note, and explodes, coating the entire library in goo.

There are a bunch of tiny popping sounds as one by one, invisible critters are reduced to nothing but glowing blue guts.

PEYTON  
I hate monster hunting.

TAMORA  
Are we all good Henry?

Henry takes off the glasses and gives them a good shake, trying to remove some of the goop off the lenses so he can properly see.

He puts them back on and looks around.

HENRY  
Think so...

He pauses, hiking up his trash bag and grabbing his phone out of his back pocket. His lock screen displays a photo of him, Tamora, and Kat all throwing up peace signs under a street lamp.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
(smiling)  
Yeah, we're good. We're good.


	3. S1E3: "Hot & Dangerous"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melinda deals with her first solo mission in Davis, Kat tries to sort through a cryptic message, and Ale gets a job.  
> Formatted as a TV show, we follow the lives of the children of the Charmed Ones as they try to find their way in the world, not only as a set of some of the most powerful witches to have ever lived, but also as a bunch of stressed out Gen Z nerds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this is the closest I could get to a tv script format using this platform, acts are used to convey segments of the show (the closing of each act would traditionally go into a commercial break), plain text are actions and breaks within those often convey new shots. (V.O.) stands for voice over, (CONT'D) is just continued, implying that the character kept talking through the visual break in dialogue, if it's NAME1/NAME2, they speak in unison. The timeline would be placed roughly near 2025.  
> If you want to come talk to me you can find me @phoebehalliwell on tumblr or @henrymitchells on twitter  
> also! look who got her episode up in a relatively timely manner? can i get a wahoo

### TEASER

  
**INT. ADPI SORORITY HOUSE - NIGHT**

It's "Tight and Bright" night at Alpha Delta Pi, and it's an absolute rager.

There are blacklights all over the room, illuminating the neons people are wearing. Music is blasting, and the baseline is making cups shake. Someone in the kitchen has prepared jello shots, multiple people are making out on the couch, and there is a clump of people dancing near the middle of the room.

In the corner of the room, BRIAN, in a very boring white t-shirt and pink shorts, presses his phone to one ear, plugging the other ear with his hand.

BRIAN  
Nah, babe, Jake just needed someone to come pick him up, I don't even wanna be here night now! Yeah! No, no, I'm just gonna grab him and then leave! Okay! Love you! Bye!

Brian ends the call and rolls his eyes, slipping his phone in his back pocket.

A girl walks past him, dropping a simple gold ring as she goes.

Brian kneels down and picks up the band.

BRIAN (CONT'D)  
Hey! You dropped this!

He can only see the back of the girl. She has an Ariana Grande ponytail, with long black hair starting at her crown and flowing all the way down to her hips, and a skin tight pink dress than glows under the blacklight. She pauses at Brain's call, not turning back to look at him, but rather cocking her head to the sound of his voice.

BRIAN (CONT'D)  
Your ring!

She turns back and keeps walking, and without looking, gestures for Brian to follow her.

Brian looks around, as if to check that no one's keeping tabs, then quickly follows after her.

Tragically, Brian is very unobservant, because someone definitely saw all of this go down. Yes, leaning against the kitchen counter, in lime green biker shorts and an orange crop top, multiple snap barrettes in her hair, stands Effie.

She takes a quick cherry red jello shot and then follows after Brian.

**INT. BATHROOM ADPI - NIGHT**

The mysterious girl stands at one end of the room as Brian enters, still not facing him. Brian, for some reason, does not find this weird.

BRIAN  
So... what's your name?

SIHUANABA  
Sihuanaba.

Brian is too drunk to even try repeating that.

BRIAN  
Oh, uh, cool name. Mine's Brian.

SIHUANABA  
I know that. I also know, oh, what's it now? Ah, Katie's name.

The color drains out of Brian's face.

BRIAN  
I- I don't know what- who you're talking about.

SIHUANABA  
I think you do.  
(beat)  
I always hated unfaithful men.

She starts to turn around.

**INT. ADPI SORORITY HOUSE - NIGHT**

Effie starts to climb the stairs, trying to get to where she saw Brian disappear. She politely worms her way through the series of people chatting on the stairs, until she hears a man's scream coming from the bathroom.

Effie breaks out to a sprint, fighting her way to the top of the stairs.

**INT. BATHROOM ADPI - NIGHT**

Brian lays, collapsed, on the floor, eyes open but devoid of life.

Effie reaches the doorway and sees the body.

EFFIE  
Jesus Christ!

A small crowd starts to gather outside the bathroom, trying to see what's going on.

Effie kneels at Brian's side and takes his pulse. Growing increasingly worried, she positions herself as if she's going to do CPR, blocking her hands from the crowd as they start to glow gold. She leans in to his ear and whispers:

EFFIE  
(Scottish)  
Oh, you so don't deserve this.

She starts chest compression, and with a gasp, Brian's eyes start moving again.

BRIAN  
S- s- s- si-

Effie stands up, and triumphantly announces to the crowd:

EFFIE  
(American)  
It's alri-ight gu-uys! He's fi-ine.

Brian sits up as the crowd starts to dissipate. Through blurry vision, he sees a sleek black ponytail swaying away.

### ACT I

  
**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - DUSK**

Kat sips out of a mug and watches as the sky grows darker and the city glows brighter. She pauses, for a moment, in peace.

Then she rises, setting the mug in the sink and opening one of her kitchen drawers, retrieving and iron athame and sheath.

She weaves the weapon into her back belt loops (she has extras shoddily sewn on to serve this exact purpose) and adds a long cardigan to conceal the blade, then orbs out.

**EXT. FOREST'S EDGE - DUSK**

The town still glows, but it now sits in the valley, whereas Kat reside up on a hill.

She stands at the edge of the trees, peering in. She can see a dull red glow on the ground from various mushrooms.

She exhales from her nose and starts to wander into the woods.

**EXT. FAIRY GATE - NIGHT**

Kat reaches a perfect circle formed by the red glowing mushrooms and kneels before it.

KAT  
Hi, guys. It's a member of the Warren line, so...

She searches for more words to say, but it's unnecessary. Two beings flutter in the circle, about the size of Kat's hand. One glows pink, the other green. The pink one speaks first.

PETUNIA  
Which member of the Warren line?

KAT  
...one of the Mitchells.

The green one flutters over to the pink one and mutters something in her ear; the pink one mutters something back.

Their glows grow stronger, and the two appear again in the circle, now Kat-sized.

The pink one, PETUNIA (20s), has a tiered maxi skirt on, with each layer formed by her namesake flower.

The green one, LAUREL (20s), has what looks like a bandeau and matching mini skirt made of leaves, and two branches forming clips keeping her hair back on either side of her middle part.

They both resemble girls who would have bullied Kat in high school.

LAUREL  
Hi, Kat.

Kat waves meekly. Laurel leaned over to Petunia.

LAUREL (CONT'D)  
(hushed)  
Told you.

PETUNIA  
(hushed)  
They're identical! It wasn't that wrong.

LAUREL  
What's the reason for your visit?

KAT  
Have you guys been cloaking?

LAUREL  
Should we be?

KAT  
Only if there are more lemures.

Petunia shoots Laurel a concerned glance, Laurel scowls in response.

PETUNIA  
What called the lemures?

KAT  
I came to see if it was you.

LAUREL  
We try not to operate in enough extremes to attract lemures.

KAT  
So you weren't impacted by their presence?

LAUREL  
We didn't realize they were there.

KAT  
So...

LAUREL  
So?

KAT  
So something powerful called them, and something powerful is cloaking itself.

PETUNIA  
It's not the fae.

KAT  
Do you know who it is?

LAUREL  
Not personally.

KAT  
What's that supposed to mean?

LAUREL  
Rumor has it that the twice-blessed is in town.

KAT  
Wyatt was absolved of the twice-blessed destiny.

PETUNIA  
Not all powerful witches are in your bloodline, Kat.

KAT  
It's a witch? Do you know who? Could you tell be where to find them?

PETUNIA  
The fae have promised to protect and aide the Charmed Ones and their offspring, but this is something that we can't interfere with.

KAT  
Am I gonna die?!

LAUREL  
(smirking)  
Good luck.

The two girls glow and pop back into their smaller form, then vanish from the fairy circle.

Kat stands, a little shell-shocked from what just happened.

KAT (V.O.)  
Yo, Tamora, I think I just got told I'm going to die.

**INT. TAMORA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT (THOUGH TECHNICALLY VERY EARLY MORNING)**

Tamora's eyes flutter, but she's still asleep.

TAMORA (V.O.)  
Huh?

KAT (V.O.)  
I said-

**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT**

Kat is washing the mug she had left in the sink earlier.

KAT (V.O.)  
-I was just talking with the fae, and I think they just told me I was gonna die.

TAMORA  
Wait, what?

Kat almost drops her mug. She whips around to find Tamora sitting at her kitchen counter, wearing a deep burgundy ball gown with elaborate gold stitching and elbow length gloves.

KAT  
Sorry, didn't mean to call you.

Tamora shrugs and picks at her dress.

TAMORA  
It's fine. The dream just took a hard South, so...

KAT  
At least you got a cool dress.

Tamora smiles weakly, then shakes herself out of false politeness.

TAMORA  
(urgent)  
I'm sorry, didn't you call me here because you're dying?

Kat sets the mug down and braces herself for a story.

KAT  
So I visited the fae to see if a) they were the great power that called the lemures - they weren't - and b) if they knew who it was.

TAMORA  
Did they?

KAT  
They said that it was the twice-blessed.

TAMORA  
Wyatt was absolved of the twice-blessed destiny.

KAT  
That's what I said!

TAMORA  
And what did they say?

KAT  
First off, something very rude like, "not all powerful witches are in your bloodline", like, yeah, I know, I'm in the bloodline, and then, when I asked if they could help me, they said, like, "we love to help Warren witches, but we're not touching this one". Like?

TAMORA  
Okay I missed the "you're gonna die" part.

KAT  
It's in the subtext, Tam. The fact that they can't "interfere"-

This word gets punctuated by some hefty air quotes.

KAT (CONT'D)  
-with what's going to happen to me.

She makes a pointed look at her twin - it represents a question mark as a stand alone sentence.

Tamora reflects the look right back at Kat.

TAMORA  
I think you're reading into this too much.

KAT  
I don't think you're reading into this enough.

Tamora stands up and gives her sister a hug.

TAMORA  
Kat, you're very difficult to kill, and if anything even tried, I would blast it into the next dimension.

Kat hugs Tamora back.

KAT  
This dress is scratchy.

TAMORA  
Only on the outside. This bad boy is silk-lined.

Kat gasps, then gives her sister a ballroom spin. Tamora graciously goes along, throwing in a little curtsey.

TAMORA (CONT'D)  
I'm going to go back to bed now. If anything tries to kill you, which I don't think it will, orb me in. We'll kick its ass. Even if it's the twice-blessed.

Kat smiles and hugs Tamora one more time.

KAT  
Goodnight.

The two touch foreheads, then Tamora's form glows red and vanishes.

Kat puts her mug in a cabinet with the rest, then goes to retire to her room.

**INT. DORM ROOM - DAY**

Melinda sits at her desk, steadily working her way through her bio homework. Ale is on the bed, watching TV on her laptop while simultaneously leafing through the spellbook.

She has just finished the entry on mugwort and is about to start the section on mullein, but her attention is caught by a half-sheet of paper tucked into the seam of the book.

She plucks out the paper and unfolds it, revealing a job application for the shop the book had come from: Turmson's Thrift & Eclectic Shop. Pay: $20/hr. Employee Discount: 30%.

Ale raises her brows, then grabs a pen off her nightstand and starts filling it out.

A couple of moments pass before there is a rapid knock at the door.

Melinda and Ale exchange a confused look; they're not expecting anyone.

EFFIE (O.S.)  
He-ey ki-ids! It' your R A-A! Just wanna check i-in, se-ee how everythi-ing's go-ing!

Ale folds the now complete application back in half and bounces up to answer the door.

She opens it and Effie quickly wiggles her way into the room.

ALE  
Effie! How's my favorite R A-A?

Effie opens her mouth to respond but Ale manages to cut her off (an impressive feat).

ALE (CONT'D)  
Listen, I'd love to stay and chat, but actually have to go drop off a job application!

EFFIE  
Yas que-een! Get that bre-ead!

Effie's voice calls out to Ale as she darts down the hall, reaching the elevator before the door is even closed.

It closes with the dull thud that all school doors close with, and without missing a beat Effie is already talking.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
(Scottish)  
Speaking of jobs...

She gives Melinda a pointed look. Melinda raises a brow.

MELINDA  
Am I going to have to but my bio homework on hold?

EFFIE  
I imagine so, but you can consider that a gift. Bio is the worst and you should just drop the class.

MELINDA  
I'm pre-med.

Effie laughs loudly.

EFFIE  
Melinda, dear, you're never going to have a free moment for the rest of your life! But that's not important right now. What is important:

There's a beat as Effie tries to put her ideas into words.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
There's something in Davis preying on unfaithful men-

MELINDA  
Good for her.

EFFIE  
-and it's already killed two guys.

Melinda winces. Maybe it was a bit too soon.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
The third I managed to intervene, but his mental state is shot. He's in the hospital right now with what they've diagnosed as a "heart attack" and a "psychotic break".

MELINDA  
Was it a heart attack and a psychotic break?

EFFIE  
It wasn't anything mortal doctors are going to be able to diagnose.

MELINDA  
Anything you were able to diagnose?

EFFIE  
I've got a name: Sihuanaba.

Melinda looks questioningly at Effie. Effie looks questioningly at Melinda.

An idea pops across Melinda's face. She points at Effie. Effie still looks confused. She points at Melinda.

Melinda orbs out and Effie follows.

**INT. TURMSON'S - DAY**

Ale walks into the shop, application in hand, and almost makes it to the front desk but is called over by a fuzzy yellow jacket first.

She touches it lightly, checks the price tag, and then remembers why she's here.

She walks up to the man at the front desk: Turmson himself.

Turmson is a man in his late 40's with worn skin but a youth behind his eyes. He has plenty of smile lines, but a couple faint scars as well. The way he dresses doesn't seem to lend itself to the type of store he runs: no fun colors, no vintage twist, just a black tracksuit and a nice pair of horn-rimmed glasses. It's a bad look.

ALE  
Hi, um, I don't know if you guys are hiring, but I have an application if you are-

TURMSON  
You made an application?

ALE  
I filled out an application. It was tucked into a book that I bought here the other day, and I thought, you know, I'd love to work here, so I might as well-

Turmson sticks out his hand, a silent demand for the application. Ale hands him the half sheet.

Turmson unfold the paper and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He raises his brows (in desperate need of threading) and nods after just a cursory glance.

TURMSON  
Everything seems to be in order. When can you start?

Ale is taken aback, she definitely thought that would require at least a little more labor.

ALE  
I mean, whenever. I don't have classes on Thursdays and I'm done by two on Wednesdays and Fridays.

TURMSON  
Mh-hmm.

He does not seem to be listening. He quickly turns on a heel and starts walking towards the back of the shop, near where Ale found her spellbook. She follows him tentatively, still unsure if she has been hired or not.

He walks past a wand, copper metalwork studded with carnelian, but then pauses, backtracks, and turns to face Ale, who is behind him.

Ale didn't fully register it from behind the desk, but Turmson is tall. He looks at her application once more, and folds it again, unsatisfied.

TURMSON (CONT'D)  
Can you pick up that piece?

He gestures to the wand. Ale is very confused but does it anyway.

ALE  
Should I move it somewhere?

Turmson responds with his mind somewhere else.

TURMSON  
Yes. Just to the other end of the table. We do that a lot here. Moving things. Make this place seem nice.

Ale walks down to the other end of the table and sets down the wand.

ALE  
Here?

TURMSON  
That works.

Turmson seems to be evaluating Ale, but he gives up.

TURMSON (CONT'D)  
Alright. I'll see you on Thursday-

He looks back at her application, squinting at the top of it.

TURMSON (CONT'D)  
-Ale.

He pronounces her name like "ail".

ALE  
Oh, um. It's Ale. Short for Alejandra.

Turmson nods but his mind is already elsewhere. Ale can tell whatever transpired here is done, but hey, she landed a job.

She turns on her heel, a confused smile on her face, and walks straight into MAX. She jumps back, and she's not going to fall, but he catches her anyways, keeping her steady by her upper arms.

You know when you can tell a guy's trouble just by looking at him, but goddamn does he wear it well? That's Max (early 20's); dark hair, dark eyes, dark smile. He's an absolute bastard and he knows it. He _flaunts_ it.

He flashes as dazzling half smile at Ale.

MAX  
Sorry for almost knocking you over.

ALE  
(flustered)  
No, it's totally my fault, I wasn't paying attention.

Ale finds herself blushing against her will. Max notices this, but doesn't comment. At least not vocally.

Something passes over his face, but Ale can't detect what before it's gone.

He's let go of her and Ale realizes they've been standing opposite each other in silence for far too long.

TURMSON  
(exasperated)  
Max! It's about time you showed up.

ALE  
Well! It was nice to meet you, but I should probably-

She cocks her head towards the door and side steps him, scurrying out of the door.

Max watches her leave, then calls out to Turmson, eyes still on the door.

MAX  
Who's she?

TURMSON  
New employee.

MAX  
You know her?

TURMSON  
No. Do you?

MAX  
Good question.

**INT. MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Melinda is flipping through the pages of the Book of Shadows while Effie dawdles about the attic.

EFFIE  
You know, for some of the world's most powerful witches, I really thought this place would be more...

She searches for a word.

MELINDA  
Organized?

EFFIE  
I was not going to say that, but yeah.

MELINDA  
Mom tends to steer clear of most "pretentious" forms of witchcraft.

EFFIE  
Has this house ever been saged?

MELINDA  
Only by force.

Melinda stops flipping through the book, triumphantly tapping Sihuanaba's page.

The pages depicts the back of a woman with long, black hair and a gauzy white dress, accompanied with a small paragraph.

Sihuanaba is a spirit than lures in unfaithful men with her undeniable beauty. She steals them away, and once they are alone, she reveals herself and consumes their souls, which will sustain her for decades to come.  
To vanquish Sihuanaba, a man must be lured by her and then reject her advances of his own free will.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Found her!

Effie walks over and starts to read over her shoulder.

EFFIE  
Wow, in my head, that was spelled very differently.

Melinda flips over to the next page, but it's a separate entry.

MELINDA  
Really? I don't get a depiction of the face?

EFFIE  
You don't want one. It's her face that drives you mad. The raw fright will kill you.

MELINDA  
What's it look like?

EFFIE  
Something scary.

Melinda reads the final paragraph of the entry.

MELINDA  
Alright. I think we can do this.

EFFIE  
Oh? You've got a man that can reject her undeniable draw?

MELINDA  
He's right here.

A swirl of orbs and standing in Melinda's place is your average frat guy: snapback backwards, janky basketball shorts on, shirt off. It's impressive

MELINDA'S GLAMOUR  
Suh, my name's Jake, my ex is a crazy bitch, and also I never said we were exclusive.

"Jake" bites his lower lip. Effie looks like she's gonna pop with laughter.

Another swirl of orbs and Melinda is back.

MELINDA  
You think it'll work?

Effie raises her brows.

EFFIE  
No. I don't think you're a genuinely unfaithful person so you're not going to call to her, but, I don't have a better plan so we're going to roll with it. But we are going to need to take your vision first.

MELINDA  
My what?!

EFFIE  
Oh don't worry, we'll replace it with infrared or something, but we can't have you look at her face.

Melinda pouts, but then relents.

MELINDA  
Fine. Infrared it is.

### ACT II

**INT. BOBA SHOP - DAY**

The Mitchell siblings all sit at a round table with their respective drinks. Kat has just finished yet another retelling of her encounter with the fae, and the twins' attention is now focused on Henry.

HENRY  
Out of curiosity, do you guys ever read about our family?

TAMORA  
No.

KAT  
We're in the family, why would we read about us?

HENRY  
Because then maybe you wouldn't have to come to me with questions like this.

There is a moment of silence as Henry takes a long sip of his drink.

KAT  
So... are you giving us assigned reading or can you just tell us?

HENRY  
(through chewing)  
The prophecy of the twice-blessed is "when three planets burn as one over a sky of dancing light, magic will rest on a holy day to welcome a twice blessed child". Wyatt was born on Imbolc, a wiccan holiday, under an aurora borealis. Aunt Piper's a witch, Uncle Leo's a whitelighter, both strong beacons of magic, so "blessed" and "twice".

Tam and Kat both lean in as Henry really starts to pick up speed.

HENRY  
Now, he's also a Warren witch and a son of the Charmed Ones, so this baby packs a punch. The twice blessed has the power to save or raze the world, but everyone's thinking that it's definitely going to be "save", he's being raised by the strongest force of good.

TAMORA  
Why are you phrasing this like it's not gonna be save?

HENRY  
Introducing: the time traveler. A man comes from the future to stop some great evil that's going to kill the Charmed Ones and take over the world.

TAMORA  
Wyatt?

KAT  
Wyatt's not evil we just had brunch a couple days ago.

HENRY  
Let me finish. The goal in travelling back was to change the future and stop Wyatt from turning evil, which, obviously, worked, but the time traveller dies protecting Wyatt.  
Now, in this time, Piper has gotten pregnant again, so she gives birth to Chris, who they named after the time traveller, and everyone's happy except for...

Henry gestures to his sisters, trying to get a little bit of audience participation.

TAMORA  
The source?

KAT  
Alternate universe Wyatt?

HENRY  
The Elders. As we all know, destiny's a malleable thing. Initially, it was destined that Piper was only going to have one kid: Wyatt, the twice blessed. But the paradigm's shifted, now there are two kids and the Elders can see there will be a third child to come. So here are the options: keep the twice-blessed, have two normal witches, or absolve the twice blessed, and let the siblings harness the power of three.

TAMORA  
So they chose the power of three.

HENRY  
So they chose the power of three, giving Wyatt, Chris, and Melinda that source, and then, once Phoebe and Coop also had three kids, PJ, Parker, and Peyton also inherited the power.

KAT  
And you learned all this from books?

HENRY  
How else am I supposed to learn the juicy family secrets? Did you know that in a past life, mom was an evil enchantress?

TAMORA  
Mom was evil?

HENRY  
Yup. Aunt Phoebe also had a evil past life, and was killed by Piper and Prue's past lives. It's all very thrilling.

KAT  
Okay, but back to my issue: who is the present twice blessed and are they going to kill me?

HENRY  
I don't know and I don't think so.

TAMORA  
That's what I said!

HENRY  
Look, I think that the Elders regifted the twice blessed destiny to someone who fit the billing and they really don't want this family intervening and potentially nullifying it again.

KAT  
So, what? Let it go?

HENRY  
I imagine yeah, that's what they want.

KAT  
Hmm.

TAMORA  
Not gonna do that?

KAT  
I am not gonna do that.

HENRY  
Family tradition.

HENRY/KAT/TAMORA  
Screw the Elders!

They all click drinks and laugh, but the family moment is cut short by Kat noticing something through the window.

TAMORA  
(worried)  
PJ and Simon!

Henry quickly shuckes off his jacket and throws it over Kat's head.

KAT  
Wh- guys!

TAMORA  
(hushed)  
You're supposed to be in Italy right now, unless you want to explain orbing to Simon.

HENRY  
(also hushed)  
Glamour!

KAT  
(hushed as well)  
Into what?

HENRY  
I'm not the picky!

TAMORA  
First face that comes to mind!

PJ and Simon enter the shop. Simon almost immediately notices the Mitchells and waves. PJ shoots a distressed look at Henry's jacket.

As PJ and Simon reach their table Kat whips off the jacket - revealing Viola's face.

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
Hi! It's nice to meet you!

She reaches out her hand. Simon reaches out and shakes it; he's always been sociable. PJ raises a brow at Henry, Henry gives the smallest nod of the head.

SIMON  
Simon. And this is PJ, if you guys haven't already met.

Simon tests the waters. He's met all the cousins, but the amount of "close family friends" who keep popping in and out of PJ's life is far too many to keep track of.

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
We haven't, actually.

She shakes PJ's hand.

KAT (AS VIOLA) (CONT'D)  
I'm Tamora's friend from college. Viola.

TAMORA (V.O.)  
Econ?

KAT (V.O.)  
Go poly sci.

TAMORA  
Yeah, she's studying political science at SF State.

KAT  
We both had macro together.

The twins share a quick look.

KAT (AS VIOLA)/TAMORA  
Ugh, Simmons.

They laugh, pulling off the close friends act easily.

SIMON  
Are you guys leaving or-

HENRY  
No, we're staying a bit longer, pull up some chairs and sit with us.

PJ drops her bag on the empty chair at the table and goes to grab another one. Simon gives her a quick kiss on the forehead.

SIMON  
I'll go get our drinks.

The second Simon is out of earshot Tamora turns on Kat.

TAMORA  
This face? Really?

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
(caught off guard)  
What!

TAMORA  
You keep dreaming about this person, I keep seeing them. Who are they?

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
No one! They're just a friend- She's a waitress at a cafe...

PJ leans in, a cat-like grin on her face.

PJ  
Ka-at.

Kat physically flinches.

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
No! No. I am not! I'm- she's-

HENRY  
Oh my god.

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
Shut up!

PJ giggles.

KAT (AS VIOLA) (CONT'D)  
PJ you know how quickly I could turn this conversation out of your favor so do not test me.

PJ retreats and looks over at Simon, coming her way with two drinks in hand.

SIMON  
What'd I miss?

KAT (AS VIOLA)  
Oh, Tamora and I were just telling the guest lecture story.

TAMORA  
We can start over.

The twin exchange a look before launching into a wild tale.

**INT. RA KITCHEN - AFTERNOON**

Melinda stands above a pot on quite possibly the dinkiest stove known to man, stirring a red liquid, soon to be a desire potion.

Effie orbs in, arms full of herbs and roots that she lays on a counter with the ugliest tiling known to man. She grabs the worst cutting board known to- you get it; it's an RA kitchen - and she starts cutting them up.

EFFIE  
(Scottish)  
And you have a spell ready too?

MELINDA  
Yep. You can proofread it.

Melinda slides over a piece of paper to her whitelighter.

EFFIE  
Wow, you have really nice handwriting!

It takes her a bit to get past the handwriting - but to be fair, it is fantastic handwriting, it almost looks like it's typed - and start reading the spell.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
_Make my vision infrared / so that I do not end up dead_. You sure that's going to work?

Melinda looks at Effie, smiling. Her eyes are not fully focused.

From Melinda's point of view, we only see heat signatures.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
(muttering)  
I'll never understand witchcraft.

MELINDA  
Can I have the gingko?

Effie shrugs and hands Melinda a fistful of leaves.

Melinda looks at the leaves, a cool blue against the hot red of her warm hand, and tosses them in the pot, a pale-yellow orange to her. Sparks fly out, a bright white bouncing out of the wave of pink heat travelling out of the pot.

EFFIE  
Does that mean it's ready?

MELINDA  
I would say so.

Melinda opens a cabinet near the stove. It has a couple cheap plastic plates.

She opens the one next to it. It has a souvenir cup from Six Flags and multiple shot glasses.

She opens a thirds cabinet. It's empty.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Are there vials? Anywhere?

EFFIE  
Oh!

She hands Melinda a hydroflask. Melinda gives Effie a look.

EFFIE (CONT'D)  
We're trying to keep a low profile here.

Melinda raises her brows and pours the concoction in.

MELINDA  
Alright then. Let's go seduce a spirit.

**INT. TURMSON'S - DAY**

Turmson is back behind the front desk, Max is leaning against it, fiddling with a box full of enamel pins that are out on display.

MAX  
Why did you call me, Turms?

TURMSON  
Someone's causing trouble. Someone from your neck of the woods. And you know how I feel about trouble.

Max laughs lightly, a harsh contrast to Turmson's stern nature.

MAX  
Yes, we all know how you feel about "trouble".

He adds air quotes to the final word, an unnecessary punctuation.

TURMSON  
Take her home, Max. Or I will do something about it.

MAX  
(muttering)  
You always do.

He pulls a small pin from the box: a skull with green flames in the eyes. He smirks and tosses it back in.

MAX (CONT'D)  
I'll do what I can.

Turmson huffs and Max leaves with a bounce in his step; the boy is far too cocky, but he won't be changing any time soon.

### ACT III

  
**EXT. ART GALLERY - NIGHT**

Wyatt is leaving the art gallery for the night, messenger bag on his shoulder. He pauses as he passes the koi pond, and the koi all start to gather towards him.

He smiles and waves his hand over the pond, and tiny pieces of fish food appear in the water. The koi happily flutter about, eating the flecks, and Wyatt continues on his journey back home.

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

He walks past gray walls and neon signs, enjoying the cool of the air. He could have easily orbed, but he preferred walking.

From his back pocket, his phone ringer goes off.

The contact photo for Melinda displays: her smiling on a lawn at Davis - the day they first toured the college.

Wyatt swipes up to accepts the call.

WYATT  
Hey!

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

The glamour Melinda had presented earlier, "Jake" stands outside a house that seems to be physically shaking with a baseline, phone pressed to her ear.

Her stance does not match her current physique, she doesn't possessed the unearned confidence one would expect to see. Rather, her shoulders are rounded and her eyes dart around anxiously.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Wyatt? I am not doing great right now. I know that I wanted to move away but I'm about-

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

WYATT  
Melinda?

He pulls his phone away from his ear, confirming that the contact displayed is his younger sister before bringing the phone back to his ear.

WYATT (CONT'D)  
Is that you?

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Oh! I have a glamour on, I'm like a frat guy right now-

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

Wyatt gives a confused smile as he tries to picture that in his mind's eye.

MELINDA (AS JAKE) (V.O.)  
-but that's not the point. The point is I've got to vanquish this demon but I'm like freaking out.

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Like it's not even my first solo vanquish, I don't know why I'm so nervous but I just feel so...

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

WYATT  
Out of your element?

MELINDA (AS JAKE) (V.O.)  
Yes! I just-

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
I wish I had a grasp on things, but I don't.

WYATT (V.O.)  
Do you want me to orb over?

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
No, I- I don't know what I want. I want to not feel so cripplingly nervous right now.

WYATT (V.O.)  
Have you talked with your whitelighter?

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
No. Sort of. It's complicated, but I have to tell you about her later.

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

MELINDA (AS JAKE) (V.O.)  
She's weird, Wyatt. She's, like, weird.

Wyatt smiles.

WYATT  
How so?

MELINDA (AS JAKE) (V.O.)  
You know how Dad just has this really calming energy?

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Like you can feel like you're about to explode, but he can just, like, fix it, you know?

WYATT (V.O.)  
Yeah.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
My new whitelighter is just the explosion.

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

Wyatt raises his brows, entertained, but quickly reverts back into Big Brother Mode™.

WYATT  
Mel, Dad never gave you anything you didn't already have.

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

WYATT (V.O.)  
All of that confidence, preparedness, calming energy. It was all in you. He just brought it to light. Everything you need is already there.

Melinda drinks in these words like they're an oasis in the desert. Her energy levels itself out.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Thanks, Wy.

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

WYATT  
Just doing my big brother duties. Now go kick ass!

MELINDA (AS JAKE) (V.O.)  
Yeah! Okay!

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Thank you! I love you!

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT**

WYATT  
Love you too, Mel.

The call beeps as Melinda hangs up, and Wyatt tucks his phone back in his pocket, smiling softly.

**EXT. PIKE HOUSE - NIGHT**

Melinda puts her phone back in her pocket, and breathes a sigh of relief.

She tries to contort her posture into something that matches her exterior, but then she catches a glimpse of Effie standing hear the door with the hydroflask. She gives it a quick little shake.

Melinda immediately tenses back up but walks up to entrance regardless.

Effie hands her the bottle.

EFFIE  
(Scottish)  
Slangevar.

Melinda quickly chugs the contents, then wipes her mouth and hand Effie back the bottle.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
How do we know that it worked?

Effies brows are sky high and she has a peculiar grin on her face.

EFFIE  
I'm not going to cross any professional boundaries, but it did.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Oh. Alright then. Well-

EFFIE  
(American)  
Let's get this pa-arty star-ted!

Effie swings the door open and enters with gusto, a nervous "Jake" following behind her.

**INT. KAT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT**

Kat orbs back into her kitchen, nervous. She quickly puts the kettle the stove and starts rooting in her cupboards for tea.

She pulls out a box of chamomile and a mug, setting the pair of the counter. She looks outside her window, and watches the flickering of lights from the street below. She's restless.

Kat takes a long sip from her mug, leg bouncing.

She rolls her eyes and slams the mug on the counter, grabs her jacket and leaves the apartment.

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - NIGHT**

Kat walks down the sidewalk, moving fast, but no clear destination in mind.

Down near the end of the street, a woman is locking a door and pulling her hair out of a low bun, shaking it out. It isn't until she walks near a street lamp that Kat gets a clear view.

KAT  
Viola?

VIOLA  
Kat! What are you doing out, it's late.

The two girls approach each other, meeting under a single street lamp, casting long shadows behind them.

KAT  
Yeah, I know, I'm just...

VIOLA  
Restless?

KAT  
Yeah.

She smiles stupidly. Viola does too.

VIOLA  
Me too. I feel like there's something in the air, you know? Something's about tonight.

KAT  
Besides me and you?

VIOLA  
Besides me and you.

Viola leans in slowly, and Kat's breath catches. Their lips meet, and before long, Kat's hands are tangled up in Viola's hair.

Viola presses Kat against the street lamp, and her hand starts to travel up Kat's thigh. It looks like things could get  
_saucy_ , if not for-

TAMORA (O.S.)  
Kat, your incessant horniness and sex dreams have started seeping into my subconscious _please_ put a lid on it.

The dream freezes, and Kat whips around to face her sister.

KAT  
Tamora!

TAMORA  
Oh, is that your waitress friend?

KAT  
Do you _mind_?

TAMORA  
I do, actually. It's infringing on my beauty rest.

Kat is still stuck up against the lamppost.

KAT  
Get out of my head, Tam!

TAMORA  
Ask her out in real life, Kat! This pent-up energy is bad for you.

KAT  
I hate you.

TAMORA  
Bummer.

Tamora raises her hands in defeat as her astral self dissolves.

**INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT**

Tamora reforms in a dimly lit museum where gravity seems to have been modified, with the full room at a 45 degree tilt. Covering the walls are Georgia O'Keeffe paintings.

Tamora rolls her eyes and flicks out her hand at a particularly yonic painting, blasting a hole through the middle of it.

She can see it leads to a separate room, and crawls through the opening.

In this room, the ceiling is where the ground should be and vice versa, and Tamora seems to be the only one facing right-side-up, standing on the ceiling. On the ground above her, couple hang upside-down, aggressively making out.

Tamora sighs and walks towards the other end of the galley, exiting through a dark red curtain and finding herself in a medieval dungeon. There are skeletons still handcuffed to the walls.

She eyebrows flick up in shock but she doesn't scream.

At least, not until they come down from the walls and start running towards her.

She throws her hand out but they don't blow up. They also don't seem to notice her, sprinting right past her, one even bumping into her shoulder.

Tamora takes a step back, uneasy, and finds herself shooting down a stone slide before being spit out into a kelpy lake. What might be a giant eel swims out in front of her, not taking notice of her, but Tamora starts to fight for the surface regardless

She breaks into the air and starts swimming towards a wooden rowboat floating a couple yards away.

She desperately hoists herself into the boat, and pauses, gasping for breath.

KAT  
Stop watching Scooby Doo before bed.

Kat's hair is mussed and her lipstick's smudged. Tamora flips off her twin without looking up.

The boat vanishes, dropping Tamora back into the water.

### ACT IV

**INT. PIKE HOUSE - DAY**

Melinda's glamour follows behind Effie like a lost puppy. Effie moves through the crowd effortlessly, calling out casual greetings as she goes. People acknowledge her, but swarm to "Jake", reaching out, trying to introduce themselves, trying to get closer. Melinda is horribly uncomfortable with all this.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
(quitely)  
How do we know which one's her?

EFFIE  
(quitely, Scottish)  
You won't be able to see her face.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
Effie. I cannot see anyone's face right now.

The masses of the people almost seem to blend together in Melinda's infrared vision, just swatches or orange, reds, and greens, all hoping to catch her attention.

EFFIE  
Okay, well then use your other assets. What can you sense?

Melinda closes her eyes, there is the soft sound of chimes as she tries to get a read on the room.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
The effect of the pheromones.

She opens her eyes.

MELINDA (AS JAKE) (CONT'D)  
Effie, this is really weird.

EFFIE  
Keep trying.

Melinda shuts her eyes again, concentrating, concentrating- her eyes snap open and she whips around.

Amid the mass of the warm bodies in her vision one figure stands out, a dark purple. She walks through the crowd, hair swishing behind her. A guy, lit up bright orange, follows her.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
There! Can you see her! She's got some guy following her.

Effie turns to where Melinda is looking. She sees the back of a girl in a skintight white dress straight from Fashion Nova, dark hair pouring down her shoulders, and behind her, some generic frat guy with sunglasses on the back of his head (they're inside at night why do you have sunglasses on, bro?).

EFFIE  
You follow her, I'll run interference.

Effie quickly darts through the crowd and intercepts the frat guy, trying to strike up a conversation. Melinda can only see a glowing orange outline, but from the hand gestures she can tell her whitelighter has switched back to an American accent.

Melinda tries to forge her way through the masses, straight up ignoring as people push their way in front of her to introduce themselves, eyes focused on the purple figure.

She gets in range, and Sihuanaba pauses. Melinda sees her turn her head slightly, still not revealing her face, but she clearly caught notice of her. Melinda's heart starts beating a little faster.

Through her vision, she see the spirit climb the stairs, and quickly moves to follow her. The purple figure walks through a door, leaving it slightly ajar.

Melinda mutters something up to the heavens before going in after her.

**INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT**

Sihuanaba stands near someone's pile of clothes on the ground, not really caring whose bedroom she has just entered.

She faces the far wall, and hears the door squeak open behind her.

"Jake" walks in the room, so clearly uncomfortable.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
H-hi. My name's, um, Jake. You're very beautiful.

Melinda could hit herself, she knows how stupid she sounds, but what else is she supposed to say. She offers a weak smile.

Sihuanaba does not turn around, but speaks out in a very seductive voice.

SIHUANABA  
Don't lie to me, Melinda, it's rude.

Melinda's eyes look like they are about to pop out of her skull.

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
I- w-what? I'm- I-

SIHUANABA  
I greatly prefer the souls of unfaithful men, but I will settle for that of a lying witch.

Sihuanaba starts to turn around.

Melinda sees her hair, a dark purple bordering on black, swish around, and her purple figure is now facing her, but Melinda can barely get a read. Sihuanaba present almost entirely as one even hue of purple, with a burning white heat flickering out from where her eyes are.

There is a beat. Sihuanaba stands facing Melinda, Melinda stands perfectly still, unsure what to do.

Sihuanaba cocks her head to the side (this has never happened before) then lands a solid punch to Melinda's gut.

Melinda double over in pain, and Sihuanaba brings her knee to Melinda's face.

She stumbles back, nose bleeding, and throws out her hand, send the spirit flying back, crashing into a desk in the far corner.

Sihuanaba stands back up and shakes herself out; Melinda tries to get a read on the room but infrared is making that a bit more difficult.

Sihuanaba stalks towards Melinda, Melinda spys a lava lamp and send it flying at her head.

It shatters, leaving little fragments of glass and colored wax in her long dark hair.

**INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT**

You can't hear the fight over the sound of music playing, but Effie can sense her charge is in danger and she's panicking.

She runs down the hall swinging open every door, barging in three separate couples making out, five empty rooms, and oddly enough, one person studying.

Effie is so busy on her quest that she doesn't noticed a dark haired boy slip into a room at the end of the hall.

**INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT**

Melinda's glamour is now also sporting a cut just above the eyebrow and the room is looking far more disheveled than it has previously.

Sihuanaba takes another swing at Melinda, hands in a claw rather than a fist, but Melinda orbs out of the way, rematerializing behind the spirit and kicking her face first into a wall. There's a crunch as Sihuanaba's face knocks in a bit of drywall.

Melinda's hand instinctively fly to her face; she shouldn't feel bad but she kind of does.

Sihuanaba rises again and turns to Melinda. Melinda can't pick up any facial expression with infrared, but she feels like she just got a whole lot angrier.

The white heat radiating from her eyes grows.

Melinda tries to send a textbook flying at her, but she catches it and throws it to the side.

SIHUANABA  
You can't beat me, Melinda. I've been doing this for much longer than you can even-

She's cut off by the sound of the door slamming open. Her head whips around to see what just entered the room, flinging some of her hair in Melinda's face.

MAX  
Come on, Si, it's time to go home.

Melinda can't get a strong visual on who's talking because of the hair currently in her face, but she can see a teeming glow of white light radiating of the boy's figure.

Sihuanaba walks up to him, leaving Melinda confused on the other side of the room.

SIHUANABA  
What gives you the authority to tell me where I can and cannot go?

MAX  
Nothing.

He picks a piece of glass out of her hair and tosses in to the ground.

MAX (CONT'D)  
I'm just the messenger, potentially the harbinger of what's to come.

SIHUANABA  
More witches? Because that doesn't worry me too much.

Max leans past her and glances at Melinda.

Melinda sees the bright white figure wave at her. She waves back meekly.

MAX  
No, I have no idea who that is. But Turms isn't happy.

SIHUANABA  
Ancient men don't frighten me. And neither to you.

Max presses his hand to Sihuanaba's cheek, for the first time, we see her face. It's a skull, bleach white, with bright green flames glowing out of the eye sockets. His thumb runs along her upper cheekbone.

MAX  
I'm not threatening you. I'm asking, as a favor, that you leave.

SIHUANABA  
And if I don't?

MAX  
Then maybe I will threaten you.

Max flashes a smile. Sihuanaba scowls and pulls his hand away from her face.

SIHUANABA  
You're the worst, Max.

MAX  
Don't worry, baby, I know.

A green flame burst out around Sihuanaba, growing around her until she vanishes with a puff.

Max raises his brows and turns to leave.

The door swings open and Effie sticks her head in, immediately spying Melinda and her multiple head wounds.

EFFIE  
Melinda!

She darts over and is about to start healing her charge, but then registers that Max is in the room.

MAX  
It's okay, I'm leaving, heal away.

He leaves, closing the door behind him. Effie's jaw drops. She leaves Melinda and runs to the door, throwing it open to try to catch him, but he's gone.

EFFIE  
Who was that?

MELINDA (AS JAKE)  
I don't know, he got rid of Sihuanaba.

Orbs swirl around her as she removes her glamour, presenting as plain old Melinda, this time with added head injuries.

EFFIE  
Friend?

MELINDA  
Can't say.

Effie starts to heal Melinda, and Melinda sits down from exhaustion.

### ACT V

**INT. DAVIS DINING COMMONS - MORNING**

The two roommates are at breakfast - Ale with a healthy serving of scrambled eggs, beans, sausage, and black coffee, and Melinda with a single blueberry muffin on a napkin that she slowly picks apart with her fingers.

ALE  
-and it was all so weird like he barely looked at my application, then made me move a wand or something, and then boom! I was hired. So like hopefully I don't die and hopefully it's not a drug front but like it was weird, man. I don't know how else to say it. Oh! And! When I was leaving, I bumped into this really hot guy, and I'm like not even that into guys, so that really speaks to how hot he was, but he seemed weird too! But it's whatever, at least I'll be making bank. Okay, so what about you?  
Melinda plucks another tiny crumb off the muffin.

MELINDA  
What about me?

ALE  
Melinda, I know I haven't know you too long, but it's easy to tell when you're off. And you're off. Did something happen yesterday?

MELINDA  
I... You know how you have an idea of yourself, like in your mind's eye, but then something happens and you're like, hmm, maybe I'm not as good as I thought?

ALE  
Oh, you mean my entire educational experience?

Melinda cracks a weak smile.

ALE (CONT'D)  
Melinda, this is college. It's the dumbest place in existence because you're supposed to forge your own identity but already know who you are and have a lot of fun but study hard and do what makes you happy but don't disappoint your parents. It's stupid. There's no- there's no...

MELINDA  
Yeah. There's no way to do it right.

ALE  
Exactly!

MELINDA  
But I feel like I'm doing it wrong.

ALE  
If there's no way to do it right then there's no way to do it wrong.

MELINDA  
I don't think-

ALE  
Nope! I'm right. Don't think about it too hard.

Melinda smiles, genuinely this time.

ALE (CONT'D)  
Look, we've been here a week. We've got four more years here. And I think in that time, you're gonna kick a lot of ass, I'm going to have a righteous good time, and we're gonna make the out of a dumb situation. Sound good?

MELINDA  
Yeah, that sounds good.

ALE  
Now can I convince you to eat something other than a muffin?

MELINDA  
No. But I might end up eating two muffins.

ALE  
Oh, bold move, like the decision making there, like the initiative. Live your best life.

MELINDA  
I'm gonna live my best life.

ALE  
Hell yeah!

MELINDA  
Hell yeah!

The two girls laugh. It's nice to have a friend.


	4. S1E4: "Operation: Save Selkie"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PJ, Parker, and Peyton help a fish out of water get out of a marriage proposal, Melinda offers emotional support via snapchat, and Kat learns about her fate.  
> Formatted as a TV show, we follow the lives of the children of the Charmed Ones as they try to find their way in the world, not only as a set of some of the most powerful witches to have ever lived, but also as a bunch of stressed out Gen Z nerds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this is the closest I could get to a tv script format using this platform, acts are used to convey segments of the show (the closing of each act would traditionally go into a commercial break), plain text are actions and breaks within those often convey new shots. (V.O.) stands for voice over, (CONT'D) is just continued, implying that the character kept talking through the visual break in dialogue, if it's NAME1/NAME2, they speak in unison. The timeline would be placed roughly near 2025.  
> If you want to come talk to me you can find me @phoebehalliwell on tumblr or @henrymitchells on twitter

### TEASER

  
**INT. HOUSE PARTY - NIGHT**

A bunch of teens stand around, chatting, playing beer pong, drinking out of red solo cups - your stereotypical high school party. A horror movie plays in the living room and speakers blast music in the dining room. The place is getting groser and groser by the minute as teens just leaves stuff everywhere.

There is a small pile of identical purses from Forever 21 either in the shade of black, gold, or rose gold, and one girl rifling through all of the gold colored ones until she finally retrieves the spherical lip balm she was hunting down.

Cans are just on the ground, as if one couldn't be bothered to make the small effort of at least setting them on a table. The labels range from a Hemp Four Loko to a Peach-Pear LaCroix.

Off near the edge, quietly observing the masses, stand PJ and Parker, PJ holding a plastic cup, and Parker drinking a bottle of neon green Jarritos. They keep eyeing pairs and making assessments. Right now, they're analysing REBEKAH, a petite brunette with her hair in a high pony, and IAIN, a 6'4" guy whose personality consists of being a 6'4" guy.

PARKER  
I'd say two more weeks.

PJ  
They just got together! This is the first public outing, you can't break up two weeks later; it'll give you too much of a reputation.

PARKER  
Look at her, she's already bored!

Rebekah does look incredibly bored. Iain is trying to keep up some semblance of conversation, but she looks like she might doze off any second.

Iain pauses in anticipation, and Rebekah realized he made a joke. She laughs, but it's mainly just her nose twitching a bunch.

PJ  
Or she's just stoned out of her gourd.

Parker raises her eyebrows; it could very well be true.

The two sisters lean in together and look closer.

Iain is talking again and Rebekah has gone back off to whatever daydream she was in, but the Halliwells aren't trying to hear their conversation, they're focused on something else.

Soft pink lights emanate from the pair, as well as a low crackle of purple electricity.

Iain's pink glow reaches towards Rebekah's, but her's barely extendeds towards him. On the other hand, the two practically shoot lightning bolts at one another, with intense purple hue.

The girls both raises their brows and take a sip of their respective drinks.

PARKER  
Well. I stand by two weeks. He's too emotionally invested for anything she's trying to get out of this relationship.

PJ  
I still think two weeks is too soon. Besides, that was intense. I think they can make it a month.

PARKER  
Ten bucks?

PJ  
Ten bucks. You shoot under, you automatically lose.

Rebekah rolls her eyes at something Iain said and drifts into the kitchen, leaving him standing alone.

PARKER  
If anything, I shot over.

Parker's attention is soon caught by a girl in a pastel pink sweater. Her friend stands next to her, monologuing, but her eyes anxiously dart around the crowd.

Meet ANGELA.

Angela's the girl who everyone thinks is a doe-eyed bimbette until you hear her talk. Her soft brown hair, heart shaped face, and sparkling brown eyes do nothing to soften the sting of her words when she takes you down in history, English, or debate class.

Parker nudges her sister, nodding her head towards Angela.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
Three guesses to who she's looking for.

Angela's pink glow stretches out far, floating through the crowd, reaching out for a boy in a boring green shirt. The boy, KEVIN, has a glow of similar strength extending towards Angela.

Kevin looks boring, but, unlike Angela, looks don't deceive. Still, there's something earnest in the way that he is so boring, something that makes his everyone's friend. Maybe it's because his face is really round.

PJ  
Someone has got to get those two together, this pining is simply tragic.

Parker jumps, as if poked by a great idea.

PARKER  
Okay, new game. Ten bucks goes to whoever can get one to ask out the other first.

PJ  
So I go talk to Angela and you go talk to Kevin, and we try to convince them to ask the other on a date?

PARKER  
Bingo. You got a coin?

PJ fishes a quarter out of her pocket. Parker takes it. A brief black-and-white image of the head of the coin flashes.

PARKER  
Heads you talk to Kevin, tails I talk to Kevin.

PJ  
Bet.

Parker flips the coin and catches as it falls, slapping it to the back of her closed fist. She removes her hand, revealing heads.

PJ grabs her coin off her sisters hand and struts confidently towards Kevin, standing in the corner of the dining room.

Parker sees Angela float into the living room, examining the faces illuminated by the tv screen.

Parker takes a swig of her neon green soda and heads into the kitchen.

**INT. HOUSE PARTY DINING ROOM - NIGHT**

Kevin stands on the edge of a conversation, half-listening, half-scrolling-through-his-phone.

PJ worms her way into the circle of people talking, offering a quick greeting to one of the girls talking.

She then turns to Kevin, pretending to just take notice of him.

PJ  
Kevin! Hi!

KEVIN  
Oh, um, hi, PJ.

PJ  
We have stats together, right?

KEVIN  
Yeah.

Kevin seems surprised that PJ could recall that detail.

PJ  
Yeah! No, but I'm so not looking forward to that class. Did you read the syllabus?

KEVIN  
Yeah, with the new case studies due each week?

Kevin still isn't sure why PJ is talking to him, but he's slowly growing more comfortable. PJ tends to have that effect on people.

PJ  
It's so much homework, I don't know how I'm going to do it all.

KEVIN  
Haha, yeah!

**INT. HOUSE PARTY KITCHEN - NIGHT**

Parker grabs a bag of Tostitos Scoops and cracks open a jar of salsa, helping herself.

**INT. HOUSE PARTY DINING ROOM - NIGHT**

PJ  
And since I'm in student body, I'm already swamped with homecoming planning, we're like only a week into school and I'm so stressed.

KEVIN  
I bet.

PJ  
But, no, it's gonna be really fun. You're going to homecoming, right?

KEVIN  
Oh, um, I don't know. I went once freshman year, but it was kinda lame.  
(hoping he hasn't offended PJ)  
Not that homecoming is lame, I just, it's not really my-

PJ laughs.

PJ  
It's okay, homecoming did suck freshman year. But now that I'm in charge, I promise it'll be cool.

PJ does the classic surfer hand wiggle; it's dumb but incredibly endearing.

You should definitely come - and bring Angela!

Kevin's eyes almost pop out of his head.

KEVIN  
Angela and I aren't- we're just- just friends. Old friends. Good friends.

PJ looks horrified at her mistake, clapping her hands to her face.

PJ  
Ohmigod, I'm so sorry, I just thought you two were dating, this is so embarrassing.

KEVIN  
No, no, it's fine- it's-  
(hopeful)  
You thought we were dating?

**INT. HOUSE PARTY KITCHEN - NIGHT**

A bit of salsa falls out of a chip on to Parker's shirt plain white t-shirt. Parker grumbles and grabs a paper towel, and starts dabbing at the spot.

**INT. HOUSE PARTY DINING ROOM - NIGHT**

PJ  
Listen, I think if you have feelings for her, you should ask her out.

KEVIN  
It's just, we've been friends for so long, I don't want to mess things up between us-

ANGELA  
Kevin?

PJ and Kevin turn to see Angela, pulling at the sleeve of her sweater.

The soon-to-be couple make eye contact, and they completely change. Kevin loses all the tension he was keeping in his shoulders; a brilliant smile splits across Angela's face.

ANGELA (CONT'D)  
Answer your texts, dumbass. I've been looking everywhere.

The two pop a quick secret handshake in greeting, and Kevin checks his phone.

Sure enough, a text message displays from Angela:

just got here. where r u?

PJ  
Oh, that's so my bad, I was distracting him, trying to preach the merits of homecoming.

PJ states her piece then starts to back out of the conversation.

ANGELA  
Oh?  
(to Kevin)  
I thought you hated school dances.

KEVIN  
I don't know, PJ promised that this one would be fun.

ANGELA  
Oh, we should go then?

KEVIN  
Haha, yeah, like, as friends.

Angela's smile falters. PJ shoots Kevin a pointed look.

ANGELA  
Or not?

KEVIN  
Not go to homecoming?

Angela rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath.

ANGELA  
Kevin. I'm- I- ugh. I made a full playlist and had my friends hype me up on the way here so I'm just going to go for it: do you want to go to homecoming with me as more than friends?

Kevin looks shell-shocked.

KEVIN  
Like- a couple?

ANGELA  
Yeah? Look, if you're not interested in me in that way, it's fine, but I-

KEVIN  
No! I mean yeah! I mean, yes, yes I'll go with you.

ANGELA  
(under her breath)  
Oh, thank god.

Parker pops up at PJ's side, putting her arm around her sister's shoulder.

PARKER  
Cute!

The girls leave Angela and Kevin in peace and PJ pulls a ten spot out of her wallet.

PJ  
You have salsa on your shirt.

The two start to walk away, trying to work their way around a girl in her mid-to-late teens who seems utterly horrified about the amounts of cans at her feet.

PJ gently touches her arm as she passes her.

PJ  
'Scuse us.

The girl looks up at PJ and her eyes snap into focus, registering Parker as well.

Her hands lash out, grabbing the sisters by their arms.

GIRL  
(urgently)  
Halliwells?

Parker deftly rotates her arm out of the woman's grasp, pulling in the woman's arm and pressing her athame to her wrist.

PARKER  
Who's asking?

The woman lets go of of PJ's arm, holding up her hand in surrender - just one, Parker still has the other one in mortal peril.

GIRL  
My name is Elsie. I need your help.

Parker defaults to her older sister. PJ nods.

Parker gives Elsie her arm back, and her athame beams away.

PARKER  
Alright. Start talking.

### ACT I

**INT. PARKER'S CAR - NIGHT**

Parker drives home, grumbling, as PJ sits shotgun, interrogating Elsie in the backseat.

While Henry drives his dad's old car - a gorgeous and well running 1978 Chevy Malibu - Parker drives a 2005 Subaru Outback, floor littered with boba straw wrappers and stray hair ties. Not only do the two cousins cover the full spectrum of how nice your car is, they are also the only two with driver's licenses.

So, Parker drives as PJ interrogates.

ELSIE  
My mother warned me not to go on land, but I had to know what was up there.

PJ  
I'm sorry, backtrack, go on land?

Elsie nods.

ELSIE  
Selkies are native to the water, but we can shed our skin to come on land.

PARKER  
(to PJ)  
Selkies? Aren't those the water horses?

PJ  
Aren't those evil?

ELSIE  
I am not a kelpie!

PJ and Parker exchange a glance - it had been a while since they had brushed up on mythological creatures from northern Europe.

ELSIE (CONT'D)  
A selkie is like a... mermaid. Like a mermaid except when in the water, we're seals. If we wish to come onto land, we have to-

The car goes over a steep speed bump, and Elsie yelps as it lurches.

PJ  
No, it's okay, that's a speed bump, that'll happen.

Elsie nods, still on edge, but continues her narrative

ELSIE  
-we have to shed our seal skin. If we want to go back into the water, we have to put our skin back on.

Both PJ and Parker make upset faces at that visual.

PARKER  
So where do we come in?

ELSIE  
My skin was stolen by the demon Harvath.

Parker perks up at the mention of a demon.

ELSIE (CONT'D)  
He had always had a fascination creatures from the sea, and when he had found that I had come ashore, he found my skin and brought it down to the underworld. He will only return it to me if I marry him.

PARKER  
Can you psych him out?

Elsie looks confused.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
Like, can you front like you're gonna marry him, get your skin, and then run back to the water?

PJ  
(softly, as if she's just remembering)  
Selkies mate for life.

Elsie nods.

ELSIE  
The bond between selkies are eternal. If I did marry him, he would have possession over me until I died.

PJ grimaces.

PARKER  
Okay, well the plan here is simple. We vanquish Harvath, you get your skin, victory for all. Boom.

ELSIE  
It's very dangerous, he's an ancient demon!

Parker gives Elsie a look through the rear view mirror.

PARKER  
Why'd you come to us, Elsie?

Elsie looks sheepish; she's well aware of what she's asking them for, but she has no choice.

PJ  
Don't worry. It's what we do.

PARKER  
We kick evil's ass every day.

PJ  
Sometimes twice a day.

Parker holds out her hand for a fist bump; PJ obliges.

**EXT. ITALIAN STREET - NIGHT**

Kat stares at the compass in her hand, not leading her north, but rather to a source she'd been scrying for.

She pauses, reaching an alleyway, needle pointing into its depths.

She drops the compass into the tote bag on her shoulder and peers into the darkness.

KAT  
(to herself)  
It's always alleyways.

She ventures in, slowly. The streets are cobbled, the shadows are dark, and the fact that she's wearing heeled booties doesn't really lend itself to rapid movement.

KAT  
(loudly)  
Hello?

There's a soft scuttling, not coming from the ground, but up on a wall.

KAT (CONT'D)  
My name's Kat, I-

Kat jumps, and throws up her hands. She can't see anything in the dark, but a shiver just went down her spine.

Tentatively, Kat waves out her hand, sending out a couple large white orbs.

The float out, illuminating a scavenger demon, frozen mid-crawl along the wall. It has a human body, pitch black save for the dark green "x" that covers its face. Its tongue has already begun to shoot out a line of ectoplasm at Kat.

Kat recoils in fear, and then trots a little further into the alley, now illuminated by her lights.

She rummages through her tote and pulls out the lemure sword, now clean of her blood.

She takes a deep breath and secures her grip on the sword's hilt.

She flicks her eyes up at the demon, and it unfreezes, tongue shooting out and making contact with the stone on which Kat had just stood.

The creature doesn't even seem to fully process what's happened until Kat's already severed its tongue.

What's left of the tongue retreats back into the demons mouth as it releases a guttural sound, pushing off the wall and rotating, landing on its feet a couple yards away from Kat.

It shoots out an ectoplasmic webbing from the heel of its palm, but Kat shoots back a glare, and it freezes again.

Kat walks up to the creature, sidestepping its webbing, and secures her footing right next to it.

She swings the sword.

The second the blade make's contact with the demon's neck, it unfreezes, web continuing to shoot out as Kat removes the head clean from the body.

She finishes her swing and quickly throws out a hand, freezing it again before it's head can hit the ground.

Kat lightly jogs the start of the alleyway. Satisfied with her distance, she turns back around to face the scavenger demon.

She makes a small hand motion, and time resumes. The head hits the cobblestones, the webbing loses momentum, and the body collapses to the ground.

A beat.

The remains of the scavenger demon explode into green goo.

Kat jumps back, splatter narrowly missing those cute boots.

She raises her brows and procures a ratty old towel, covered in a series of stains in upsetting colors, and cleans the goo off of her sword. She throws both items back into her bag and turns to leave, almost walking smack into Laurel.

Laurel, still rocking the nature-made bandeau + mini skirt look, peers past Kat's shoulder and the mess she left behind.

LAUREL  
Oh, was that the twice blessed? Shame, never got to meet them.

Kat's hand instinctively goes to her back of her waistline, but she didn't bring her iron dagger with her on this outing.

LAUREL (CONT'D)  
Relax, Kat. I come in peace. Well, something like that. I'm not going to hurt you.

KAT  
Then why are you here?

Laurel rolls her eyes. God, does she look like a high school bully. She could give Regina George a run for her money.

LAUREL  
Look, obviously heroes aren't supposed to be told their fates, you always go and ruin it anyway. Your family in particular.

Laurel gives Kat a once-over.

Kat rocks the uncomfortable, lips-pressed-together smile.

LAUREL (CONT'D)  
But, Kat, tbh, you're kinda buggin.

KAT  
Excuse me?

LAUREL  
You've been running around for, like, the past three weeks, or whatever, to literally any magical occurrence in a 25 kilometer radius, and we're getting complaints.

KAT  
Complaints?

LAUREL  
Let it be, Kat.

KAT  
(confused)  
No.

Laurel rolls her eyes again.

LAUREL  
Oh my god, Kat. Ugh, I hate working with witches.

Laurel glares at Kat. Kat glares back, still confused but she's picked the hill she's going to die on. She's going to find the source of great power whether the fae like it or not.

LAUREL (CONT'D)  
Your destiny crosses with the twice-blessed. I'm not saying more.

KAT  
Wait, what?

LAUREL  
I'm not saying more!

KAT  
Can you tell me whether or not they're going to kill me?

LAUREL  
No! Why do you heroes always want to know when you're going to die? It's not going to change things.

There is a pause while Kat and Laurel are at a standstill.

Laurel rolls her eyes (for a third time, if anyone's counting).

LAUREL (CONT'D)  
They're not gonna kill you. Probably.

Laurel flicks her perfectly shaped eyebrows, tauntingly.

KAT  
So... what? What do I do now?

LAUREL  
Nothing, hopefully. Let destiny run its course. Try not to mess it all up for the rest of us.

Kat feels like she's just been insulted, but isn't quite sure how to respond.

Laurel can sense the conversation has ended.

LAUREL (CONT'D)  
I'll see you around, Kat.

She poofs back into her small fairy form, and flutters up and away, into the night sky.

Kat makes an annoyed face at her disappearing glow, and flips her the bird.

Scowling, she orbs away.

**INT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT**

It's late when the Outback pulls into the tiny parking garage beneath the Halliwell's loft.

Parker leans out the window, dialing in a passcode into a worn keypad, and the barrier lifts. Parker pulls into spot #29, the only spot left unfilled; the rest of the residents aren't hardly as adventurous as the Halliwell sisters.

The three girls make their way towards the elevator.

PJ  
We're taking you to Magic School, you'll be protected from Harvath there.

Elsie nods, nervous, but PJ reaches out and give her a hand reassuring squeeze.

Parker pushes the button for the elevator.

PARKER  
Yeah, school hasn't officially started up yet, so it's not going to be too crowded. There are a couple of dorms, so you can stay there, you'll be fine.

ELSIE  
I don't want to impose.

PARKER  
Please, we've got family connections. We can get away with housing you for a couple days.

PJ  
It's no worries, really.

The elevator arrives with a ding! and Elsie jumps a little. She's never seen an elevator.

PJ notices this and gives her a warm smile.

PJ (CONT'D)  
I guess you don't have these underwater.

Elsie smiles back at PJ.

The three cram into the elevator - it's pretty small.

**INT. ELEVATOR - NIGHT**

The elevator has buttons for floors one through five, and then another button with a "G" for the garages. But the girls aren't going to any one of these floors.

Parker pushes the space above button five, where presumably the button for a floor six would be.

When she removes her finger, and button has magically appear, lit up. The elevator starts taking them to floor thirteen.

It lurches a little as it starts to travel upward. The cupitches don't react, but Elsie immediately falls back, grasping the rail.

PJ  
No, it's okay, elevators do that.

Parker shrugs.

PARKER  
Only if they're as crappy as ours.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL HALLWAY**

A set of elevator doors slide open into the pristine tiled hallways of Magic School.

Elsie eyes grow wide and a smile blossoms on her face.

ELSIE  
(breathy)  
Wow.

She floats out of the elevator, looking down the long corridors, pressing her feet into the polished floor.

PJ smiles at Parker, Parker smirks back, and the two exit the elevator.

PARKER  
Come on.

She cocks her head, pointing down one end of the hallway.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
This way.

The girls start to head down the hallway, and Elsie desperately tries to take it all in.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL DORM HALLWAY**

Parker leads the way, with PJ and Elsie trailing after her.

Parker examines the numbers off doors, stopping when she reaches room 163.

She promptly whacks down on the door handle. It makes a loud jiggling noise.

PARKER  
Ryan! Ryan, wake up!

She goes to whack the handle again, but ends up making contact with air as the door swings open, light pouring out of the room.

RYAN (17), a petite Indian witch with a pixie cut, stands in the doorframe.

RYAN  
What do you need, Parker?

PARKER  
You don't have a roommate yet, right?

RYAN  
I don't.

PARKER  
Well now you do!

Parker nods her head towards Elsie and PJ. Elsie looks at PJ, unsure.

PJ  
This is Elsie, she's a selkie we're helping out, and we just need a place for her stay until we get things sorted.

Ryan raises their eyebrows.

RYAN  
Sure, just let me clear off my stuff. Come in, guys.

**INT. RYAN'S ROOM - NIGHT**

They gesture the three into their room, lit by a hazy red glow; Ryan had put up a gauzy red fabric over the main light source. In fact, Ryan had covered almost all of their room in fabric of varying hues and textures, breathing life into the dull dormitory space.

They had also covered almost all of the spare bed in stuff, with notebooks, textbooks, crystals, and a pair of blue Doc Martens scattered its surface.

Ryan makes quick work of moving these items back to desks and shelves and under-bed storage units, introducing themselves along the way.

RYAN  
Hi, Elsie, I'm Ryan, they/them pronouns. It's nice to meet you.

Ryan takes a break from shelving crystals to shake Elsie's hand.

Elsie takes her hand, smiling.

ELSIE  
Elsie.  
(a beat)  
She/her pronouns.

Ryan smiles.

RYAN  
How long you staying for?

ELSIE  
Oh, um, I'm not sure...

PARKER  
Just til we get her skin back from some demon.

RYAN  
Which demon?

PJ  
Harvath. Ring any bells?

Ryan makes a face, searching through all the demons they know of.

RYAN  
Can't say it does.

PARKER  
Ah, well, can't say it'll take more than a week.

RYAN  
You're too cocky, Parker.

PARKER  
It's only cocky if you don't have the skills to back it up.

RYAN  
(beat)  
You have salsa on your shirt.

PJ takes control of the conversation.

PJ  
Are you gonna be okay here, Elsie?

Elsie's eyes have been wandering around the room, awestruck. She grounds herself at PJ's question.

ELSIE  
Yes, thank you.  
(to Ryan)  
And thank you.

RYAN  
Ah, don't mention it.

Elsie sits down on the spare bed, running her hand over the cotton sheets.

PARKER  
Alright, we're going to head back but Ryan has our number if anything comes up, Ryan is also fairly capable themself-

Ryan shoots Parker a look a playful annoyance at the "fairly" part.

PARKER  
-so they can also help you, if need be.

ELSIE  
Thank you. All of you.

PARKER  
Hey, don't thank us yet.

PJ  
Now get some sleep.  
(pointed glare at Ryan)  
Both of you.

RYAN  
I'm catching up on Riverdale.

PARKER  
You heathen. Don't infect Elsie with your garbage taste.

PJ  
Goodnight.

RYAN  
(to Parker)  
Sorry you hate art.

PJ  
Goodnight!

Ryan and Parker both drop the subject - for now.

PARKER  
Goodnight.

RYAN  
Goodnight.

Elsie's not sure if she's in on this conversation, but she'll say it anyway.

ELSIE  
Goodnight.

The sisters exit the room.

### ACT II

  
**INT. CUPITCHES KITCHEN - MORNING**

Peyton is making pancakes at the stove, playing soft pop music through her phone and dancing lightly.

Parker comes through the door, sweating in workout clothes.

PARKER  
Ooh, pancakes!

Parker makes her way over to the tiny stack of pancakes on a plate near Peyton, opening a cabinet and pulling out a plate of her own on the way.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
Is the syrup out?

Peyton keeps dancing and softly singing, but flicks her spatula out to the corner of the counter where a bottle of maple syrup sits.

Parker adds a pat of butter and syrup to the pancake she grabbed, and then goes to the fridge to pour herself a glass of juice.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
So, guess who has six thumbs and a demon to vanquish?

Peyton sighs and flips a pancake.

PEYTON  
Is it us?

Parker fills up her glass with orange juice, drinks about half of it, and fills it up again.

PARKER  
It's us, baby!

She shoots some finger guns at her sister.

Peyton rolls her eyes and turns off the stove.

PJ (O.S.)  
Oh, it's no rush sweetie, we're going after school.

PJ is rocking a bedhead and bleary eyes, and is already digging in to Parker's pancake.

PJ (CONT'D)  
Besides, we can't have you miss club rush!

She takes another large bite of pancake.

PARKER  
Is that my pancake?

PJ  
Is it?

Parker lunges for the plate, but PJ grabs it and spins away, taking another bite as she goes.

PJ (CONT'D)  
(mouth full)  
Just get another one!

PARKER  
You get another one, that one's mine!

PJ  
I've already eaten half of it!

Peyton slides a plate with a fresh pancake on it to Parker.

PEYTON  
Can we go back to the demon?

PARKER  
We're helping a selkie.

PJ  
(still eating)  
A demon stole her skin.

PEYTON  
Which demon?

Peyton slides the spatula under a pancake, ready to flip it.

PARKER  
Hor...

PJ  
Harvath?

PARKER  
Yeah, Harvath.

Peyton lets out a small yelp, and ends up overshooting the pancake, launching it directly onto the stove hood.

PJ and Parker both stop chewing and look at their sister.

PEYTON  
(high pitched)  
Don't you know who that is!

PARKER  
Should we?

PEYTON  
The desert king!

PJ  
Oh! The sand guy!

PEYTON  
He's a very powerful demon, very old, please don't just call him "the sand guy."

PARKER  
Oh, no, I remember learning about him now.

PEYTON  
Uh-huh!

PJ  
Okay, but this is afternoon talk. First off, school.

PEYTON  
You want me to go to school with this looming over me!

PJ  
How else are you gonna join clubs?

PARKER  
God, PJ, we get it. You're class president.

PJ  
Clubs are fun! And a good way to meet new people.

PARKER  
Preachy.

PJ  
You're literally running a table at club rush.

PARKER  
Yeah, but I'm not preachy.

The pancake that was stuck to the hood finally falls, landing with a sad splat back on the griddle.

Parker makes a face at the pancake and takes a sip from her glass.

**INT. TURMSON'S - DAY**

Ale has shown up to her first day of work, full hair slicked back into a neat ponytail, clothes bold and fun, but still professional.

Turmson is sporting Birkenstocks, sweats, a hoodie, and the same pair of glasses. Again, not a good look.

TURMSON  
So, uh, before we start, do you have any allergies that I should be aware of? Iron, salt, sage-

ALE  
Just kiwi fruit, if that ever comes up.

Turmson pulls out a tiny notepad and a very nice pen out of his hoodie pocket.

TURMSON  
It shouldn't, no.

Turmson scribbles something down on the notepad, pauses, then puts it back in his pocket.

TURMSON (CONT'D)  
This is a one-person store, so I'm going to have you shadow me for a month or so until I think you're ready to be on your own. You'll still be paid full time in the trial period.

Ale nods.

Turmson starts to walk to the back of the store and Ale trails after him.

In the back corner there is a back room separated from the rest of the store by a heavy curtain.

In it is a desk with an old computer on top of it, and along the edges of the rooms are boxes filled with clothes and a variety of knick knacks. Almost every box has a piece of brightly colored tape across it.

TURMSON (CONT'D)  
As you can see, we get a lot of donations. The only ones you need to worry about are the ones with yellow tape. Those are the normal clothes. We have a pricing chart here -

He slaps the wall near the entryway. Ale leans in to see that his hand has made contact with a piece of paper with a table sorting items and prices.

TURMSON (CONT'D)  
\- and one at the front desk. If it's slow, grab a box, price the clothes. If you get a donation, don't touch anything, just put it back here.

Ale nods, concerned, but trying not to let it show.

Turmson starts to lead her back to the front of the shop. Ale whips out her phone while he isn't looking and sends a snap to Melinda.

**INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY**

Melinda has a notebook open with her perfect handwriting already slowly filling up the page.

She sits in a lecture hall of roughly 200 students, with a professor in the front of the class clicking their way through slides.

Her phone buzzes from inside her backpack.

Melinda slides it out covertly, trying not to be a distraction. She clicks open the notification reading "Snapchat from Ale🏡".

**INT. SNAP DISPLAY**

The screen is completely black, save for Ale's snap.

Taking up the left quarter of the screen is a picture of the store floor with a heavy motion blur, with text displaying

help i feel like i might have accidentally gotten involved in a drug front or smtn

**INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY**

Melinda frowns and furrows her brows, quickly taking a photo of her backpack and typing a message back.

**INT. TURMSON'S - DAY**

Turmson has brought out one type of each bill from the cash register and is explaining how US currency works. Ale is not listening but is at least pretending to be engaged.

There is a soft ding as a notification comes through

She opens Melinda's snap.

**INT. SNAP DISPLAY**

Melinda picture of her backpack with text reading

i dont think drug fronts hire people not already invovled

fills up the next quarter of the screen, nestled next to Ale's snap, leaving the right half of the screen black.

A phone vibration sound.

Taking up the next slot is picture of Ale's shoes and a message

what if its like a money laundering scheme

A soft ding.

Filling the final slot is a picture of Melinda with the pig filter.

then wouldn't bringing u in just be a risk  
like wouldn't u be more likely to call the cops

The four messages slide to the left, making room for a new snap.

Melinda's phone buzzes.

A picture of the edge of a countertop.

ig g2g ily hope i dont die

**INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY**

Melinda takes a picture of the professor with the giant glasses + freckles filter.

She types out

i hope you don't die 2 stay safe![heart emoji]

and hits send. She puts her phone back in back in her backpack and pulls out her planner. In the to-do section she writes in itty bitty letters "protection spell?"

She closes the planner and resumes taking lecture notes.

### ACT III

  
**EXT. HIGH SCHOOL QUAD**

Club Rush is in full swing, and cheap plastic tables with big painted posters cover the entirety of the quad.

Parker, Simon, and Peyton all stand together at the waterpolo table, Parker behind it in her team hoodie and Simon and Peyton keeping up casual conversation.

PEYTON  
Is it really, horribly nerdy to join chess club?

PARKER  
Oh definitely. But do it anyways.

SIMON  
Yeah. You gotta show those nerds who's boss, crush them with your chess skills, and then make them your minions.

PJ runs up in a full tennis uniform.

PJ  
Hey, Sam's running the table for ten minutes so I can go sign up for clubs.

PEYTON  
Should I join chess club?

PJ  
Hell yeah! You'd kick ass there.

PEYTON  
(satisfied)  
Okay!

PARKER  
Woah, woah. Why is PJ's affirmative what makes you say yes?

PEYTON  
Oh, um. PJ's cooler than you. Bye!

Parker has a scandalized look on her face as Peyton darts off to the chess club table.

SIMON  
Hey, don't take it personally. Evidently my advice didn't matter either.

PJ  
Guess I'm just cooler than both of you.

PARKER  
Whatever. You two lovebird gonna sign up for water polo or just keep wasting my time?

PJ sticks her tongue out at her sister as Simon takes her hand, the two begin perusing tables together.

They end up at a table held down by NESSA, a girl with curly blonde hair and rainbow braces, and RIVER, who is currently sporting a cropped bright blue hairdo. Their sign says "GSA" in bubble letters, and has a series of pride flags surrounding the letters.

RIVER  
Aren't you guys supposed to be running tables?

PJ  
I have Sam covering the tennis table for a couple minutes

SIMON  
Baseball doesn't start till spring.

RIVER  
And football?

SIMON  
Kyle's captain.

River purses their lips.

RIVER  
Bold move.

NESSA  
Well, you guys should totally sign up for GSA!

PJ reaches for the pen and starts writing her name on the sign up sheet.

NESSA (CONT'D)  
Allies are totally welcome.

PJ pauses and raises her brows, then finishes signing the paper. She hands the pen to Simon.

River nudges Nessa.

NESSA (CONT'D)  
(under her breath)  
What?

River rolls their eyes. Simon chuckles and finishes signing up.

RIVER  
See you guys at the meeting!

PJ and Simon take hands again and go on the hunt for another club, as they're walking away they can hear Nessa and River having a hushed argument.

SIMON  
See, I knew I should have worn my pan pride sweater.

PJ  
God, Simon, how could you have been so foolish? And how could you have let me forget to wear a flannel under a denim jacket under a leather jacket.

SIMON  
That's my bad. Does that mean you're not a real bisexual anymore?

PJ  
Yeah I think I just got my card revoked.

The two giggle and start to kiss.

PARKER  
Get a room!

The couple laughs and looks over at Parker making a series of gross and over dramatic faces from her table.

PJ  
What's gross? This?

She kisses Simon again.

Parker rolls her eyes and goes back to minding her own business, running her finger down the list of sign ups (a fairly decent amount).

RICARDO (17), a year ahead of Parker, comes up to the table, sporting the same water polo hoodie as Parker. He brings with him two bubble teas, handing her the passion fruit with mini pearls.

RICARDO  
How are sign ups so far?

PARKER  
It looks like we're gonna have a solid team this year.

Parker smiles and takes her drink.

The second she makes contact with it, she jumps, inhaling sharply.

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - DAY**

In black and white, Parker sees Ryan and Elsie, bubble teas in hand, walking down the street.

Everything seems fine - the two are smiling and laughing - when suddenly there is a harsh gust of wind, carrying with it copious amounts of of sand.

The mini sandstorm hits the pair, and Ryan reaches out, but by the time it dissipates, Elsie is gone.

**EXT. HIGH SCHOOL QUAD**

RICARDO  
You okay?

Parker's eyes pop back open, and she secures her hold on the drink.

PARKER  
I just remembered I have a very important phone call to make. Can you hold down the fort for just, like, a hot second?

RICARDO  
Yeah, sure.

He slips behind the table as Parker darts off, pulling out her phone.

She dials "Ryan 🔥❄".

There is the sound of ringing as she bounces anxiously.

PARKER  
Come on, pick up, pick up.

RYAN (O.S.)  
Parker, what's up?

PARKER  
Where are you right now?

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - DAY**

Ryan and Elsie walk, drinks in hand, enjoying themselves.

RYAN  
Oh, you know, I got bored, and Elsie never been on land before, so we're doing a little tour of the city! So we got boba and we're-

PARKER (O.S.)  
Ryan, listen to me-

**EXT. HIGH SCHOOL QUAD**

PARKER  
-you need to get somewhere safe now. I don't care if it isn't magic school, just somewhere indoors-

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - DAY**

RYAN  
Slow down, Parker, I can't understand you. We need to get back to campus?

PARKER  
Harvath is about to-

Parker's voice is drowned out by howling winds. Ryan's eyes go wide as they see something approaching.

**EXT. HIGH SCHOOL QUAD**

Parker hears the staticy sound of wind coming through the phone speaker. She yells, not loud enough to alert the quad, but desperate to get through to Ryan.

PARKER  
Ryan! Ryan is Elsie still there!

RYAN (O.S.)  
I- I'm sorry-

**EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - DAY**

Ryan's well-styled hair is now a mess, and they are covered in a fine coating of sand.

RYAN  
I didn't know-

PARKER (O.S.)  
It's okay, I just need you to get back to magic school where you're safe.

Ryan nods.

**EXT. HIGH SCHOOL QUAD**

PARKER  
I can handle the rest.

RYAN (O.S.)  
Okay. I wish you luck. Bye.

PARKER  
Stay safe. Bye.

Parker hangs up the phone and immediately goes searching for her sisters.

She sees Peyton across the quad, milling about. She quickly jogs over.

PEYTON  
Parker! Guess what? Evidently one of the girls in my AP Calc class is the treasurer of chess club! And she recognized me!

PARKER  
This is great and I'm very happy for you but things just got kicked into high gear regarding our afternoon plans so we need PJ now.

PEYTON  
I think she's going back to the tennis table.

The pair quickly move to intercept the eldest sister, spying her in her tennis uniform taking to the other girl at the tennis table.

They grab PJ before she can trade with Sam.

PARKER  
(rapidly)  
Sam! You're doing such a great job running this table, do you think you can do it a little longer? Can't wait to see the tennis team crush it this year - Go Sharks!

PJ quickly picks up on the urgency of the situation.

PJ  
It's a family emergency, Sam, I'm so sorry.

Before same can get a word in the girls have already left the quad.

**INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY**

PJ  
What's the plan?

PEYTON  
There should be a power of three spell in the book, we beam in, grab that, vanquish Harvath, and be back before the period is over.

PARKER  
Let's roll.

The three all duck into the girls bathroom.

**INT. GIRL'S BATHROOM - DAY**

There are only a couple people left in the girls bathroom, but no one really takes notice as the sibling each pop into a stall and three tiny hearts float up and out.

### ACT IV

  
**INT. MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

The three sisters beam into the attic, immediately crowding around the book of shadows.

They all reach out, ready to turn pages, but Peyton stands center, elbowing out her sisters to get page turning rights.

PJ and Parker flank her on either side, anxiously looking over her shoulder, trying to spot the entry.

PEYTON  
Here!

She stops at a page with a large illustration and old lettering.

PEYTON  
The demon Harvath, also known as the desert king, rules over planes of the underworld that were once fully submerged in water. Though they dried up long ago, he craves the call of the sea, and kidnaps his brides from the ocean, retrieving a new one after they inevitably perish in his barren kingdom.

PARKER  
Okay but where's the spell?

PEYTON  
_Ancient king of the sands / who rules over these barren lands / with soul black and heart cold/ feel the pain you caused, tenfold._

Parker quickly scribbles that down on a piece of paper.

PARKER  
Should do the trick. Let's roll.

PJ  
Wait! Footnote.

PJ points to a tiny piece of script in the corner of the page.

PJ (CONT'D)  
Warning: under his control, his bride will use her powers against you. Current bride believed to be an oceanid.

There is a moment of silence as the girls deduce that the oceanid is probably dead.

PEYTON  
(softly)  
What are a selkies powers?

PARKER  
A selkie doesn't have powers, right? Just the ability to transform from seal to human.

PJ is already rapidly turning pages.

PJ  
See, you think that, and then the next thing you know, you're being drowned in the middle of the desert.

PJ reaches the entry on selkies.

PJ (CONT'D)  
Here!  
(reading quickly)  
A selkie is a maiden fair, who appears as seal when in water but can shed their skin...

Her finger keeps running down the entry, but it's short, and she soon reaches the end.

PJ (CONT'D)  
Huh. Okay. No powers.

PARKER  
Okay, well, we've got the spell, we read the footnote, are we mentally prepared?

She looks at her sister. They nod, Peyton a bit more hesitant than PJ.

Parker beams her athame into her hand.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
Alright. Let's go save Elsie.

The three beam out of the room.

**INT. HARVATH'S LAIR - DAY**

The Halliwells rematerializes in a sandstone tunnel, with various layers warped together from tan to orange swirled together in the wall. It's very instagrammable.

PJ motions for her sisters to get behind her as she leads the way; she is the eldest sister, of course, this is her job.

The three cupitches cling to the edge of the wall as they approach a large clearing where a series of tunnels seem to converge.

In the center of this clearing stand Harvath, a middle-aged man with sandy blonde hair and sea-blue robes decorated with a gold brocade, and Elsie, now wearing a flowing dress of a matching hue. She is encased in the earth up to her calves, unable to move but still trying.

Harvath tightly hold Elsie hands, saying something, but the sisters are too far away to hear it.

Sand begins to swirl around their hands, first like a soft ribbon, then growing thicker and closer, sealing the two together.

PJ  
Quick! The spell!

Parker brings out the pieces of paper and the girls all gather round, not noticing that Elsie has given up struggling in the background.

PJ/PARKER/PEYTON  
_Ancient king of the sands_ -

The girls are hit by a mini sandstorm knocking them back against the wall.

Harvath stands, facing them, hands still raised.

HARVATH  
A little too late, I'm afraid.

He makes a motion towards Elsie's feet. The earth that had encased her dissolves into a pile of loose sand. She quickly moves out of it and runs to her new husband, embracing him.

Her eyes are now a bright orange.

PEYTON  
Uh-oh.

Elsie kisses Harvath on the cheek then starts sprinting at the girls, ready to attack.

Peyton quickly throws out her arm, and Elsie telekinetically tossed to the far end of the cave.

Harvath clearly isn't happy about this. He scowls at Peyton, flexing his fingers. A sand tornado kicks up, spinning violently towards her.

PJ sees this and hits Parker's arm, her forms already starting to glow red.

Parker gets the cue, catching PJ as she faints, and watches as her sister's astral form materializes behind Harvath, immediately landing a kick in the small of his back, knocking him to the ground. Harvath's focus breaks and his magic dissipates before a grain of sand can even touch Peyton.

Harvath growls and grabs a fistful of sand, rising and attempting to throw it in PJ's eyes. It doesn't work; her astral form vanishes as quickly as it came.

Peyton makes the tiniest motion with two fingers; the sand changes directions, launching itself into Harvath's eyes.

PJ starts to come to behind Parker, capitalizing on the fact that Harvath's back is to her. She throws her athame and it sinks deep into his shoulder blade. The sound of his howl causes Elsie to stir.

He rips the dagger from his shoulder and turns to find Parker heading towards him at a full sprint. He adjusts a grip on her dagger, ready to utilize her weapon against her. Parker starts to swing for a punch.

Harvath fails to notice as pink glow consumes the athame - he's too busy trying to sink the blade into Parker's ribs.

The weapon beams out of his hand, returning to Parker's grip as she slices him across the face, his empty fist making a dull thud against her core. She doubles down with a knee to the groin.

Harvath stumbles back, disheveled. He raises both arms and the cave begins to tremble.

Tragically, he fails to execute on his plan before he is thrown up with tremendous force, hitting the ceiling with a crack! and hurtling back towards the ground, landing limp.

Peyton's hand is still out, ready to do it again, if necessary.

The three sisters regroup and Parker pulls out the spell. The sisters are about to start to cast, but are cut off by Elsie leaping onto Peyton's back.

Peyton's knees buckle under Elsie's weight, and she teeters and totters about, trying to shake the selkie.

PJ picks herself into the air, levitating at roughly the level of Elsie's head.

PJ  
Sorry!

She kicks Elsie in the face with, the momentum carrying her through a flip. Elsie head wacks back at the contact, grip loosening enough for Peyton to shake free.

PJ lands on the ground as Peyton squints at Elsie, pushing her away from them. She tries to rise, but Peyton pushes her down, keeping her hold.

Parker runs up to her sister, page already out.

PJ/PARKER/PEYTON  
_Ancient king of the sands / who rules over these barren lands / with soul black and heart cold/ feel the pain you caused, tenfold._

Harvath starts to scream, and his body starts to petrify itself, turning completely to sand before blowing away in the dust.

Peyton relinquishes her grip on Elsie, but she doesn't immediately rise.

The trio rushes over as Elsie sits up, sporting a nice mark on her face from PJ's shoe. Her eyes are no longer orange.

PJ  
I'm sorry about your face!

Elsie looks confused about what happened. Her hand flies up to her cheekbone where a welt is already starting to form. She winces.

ELSIE  
(scared)  
Is he gone?

PARKER  
Vanquished, baby.

A smile splits across Elsie's face and she tries to stand. Parker offers her a hand, and Elsie takes it immediately dragging her into a hug.

Peyton and PJ join in.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
Oh, yep, okay, group hug.

PJ ignores her grumbling and pulls her sister in tighter.

ELSIE  
Thank you so much!

PJ  
We're just glad we could help.

Parker worms free of the hug.

PARKER  
Just one more thing. Don't we need your skin?

The hug breaks apart and Elsie closes her eyes, face turned upwards.

ELSIE  
I can feel it! This way.

Elsie starts to walk through the tunnels, sensing her way to her skin, and the sisters follow.

PEYTON  
(to her sisters)  
I guess selkies do have a power.

PJ and Parker both makes "I guess so" faces in response.

**INT. MEMORIAL CHAMBER - DAY**

Elsie exits out of a tunnel into Harvath's memorial chamber.

Her eyes are closed as she wanders into the room, but when she opens them, she stops dead in her tracks.

The Halliwells enter behind her, light mood turning the dark.

In a circle around the room are life size figures of various sea creatures made entirely of sand.

Each of them portray a woman, sallow, starving, and crying. They have items draped across them, a kelp crown, an elaborate conch in hand, pearl necklaces, selkie skins.

Parker walks up to one, softly. It's an oceanid, frozen in a look of absolute grief, mother of pearl bracelet around her wrist.

PARKER  
(tender, for once in her life)  
The brides.

There is an empty slot in the circle, a place for another figure to go. Sitting in that spot is a selkie skin, neatly folded.

Elsie runs over to her skin, grabbing it in fear.

She picks it up. It doesn't look like a seal skin, it just looks like a large piece of fabric in a soft gray, with tiny bits of spotting on it.

Peyton looks at the forgotten women in fear. When she speaks, her voice wavers.

PEYTON  
Can we do something? Can we save them?

PJ pulls the fourteen year old into a hug, tucking her sister's head into her chest.

PJ  
I'm sorry, sweetie. They died a long time ago.

Parker opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. No smart words or clever quips, and definitely not words of comfort. Those have never been her strong suit.

Elsie gravitates towards Parker, both for consolation and for protection; the room is undeniably eerie.

PARKER  
We can bury them. Sea creatures belong to the ocean, it's wrong to leave them like this.

PJ nods and looks up purposefully.

PJ  
_Souls lost, encased in sand / we release you from this foreign land / souls found and set free / we return you to the sea._

There is the sound of ocean waves as water starts spiralling up the statues.

Salt water encases them completely, then drops down at once. The women are gone.

Rather than soak into the sand, the water pools in the room, steadily rising.

PARKER  
(alarmed)  
Why's it doing that?

Elsie smiles.

ELSIE  
The ocean is reclaiming its territory.

PJ smiles in return.

PJ  
Guess that's our cue.

PJ's and Peyton's hearts glow, consuming their form in a pink hue, and they beam out.

Parker reaches out and grabs Elsie's hand. The two beam out together.

### ACT V

  
**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL MAIN HALL - DAY**

The set of four beam in, and Ryan comes running up to them before they can even form. They end up standing right in front of Elsie.

RYAN  
Oh thank god! I'm so sorry, I can't believe I let this happened-

ELSIE  
Ryan! It's not your fault, I knew it was dangerous going out, I'm just glad you're safe.

PJ  
(to Parker)  
They bonded quickly.

Parker shrugs - Ryan bonds with people quickly, it's in their nature.

ELSIE  
But it's okay, Harvath is gone and I have my skin back.

PARKER  
So is this goodbye?

Elsie hesitates. She folds her seal skin anxiously.

ELSIE  
I... I guess. I came to explore the world on land but I guess that didn't really go as planned...

PARKER  
Woah, babe, we're not kicking you out.

PJ  
You're welcome to stay here as long as you like.

RYAN  
Yeah, you can keep living with me. And I'm giving you my Netflix and DoorDash passwords as an apology for getting you kidnapped.

Elsie's face lights up.

ELSIE  
I don't know what that means, but thank you!

Elsie gives Ryan a hug. She then runs over and hugs Peyton, PJ, then Parker.

Parker resists just a little, but then gives in.

PARKER  
Stay safe, okay? Don't do anything dangerous.

Elsie laughs.

ELSIE  
What do you mean? I've never done anything dangerous in my life.


	5. S1E5: "For Want of a Nail"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris tries tracking a demon in San Jose with the help of Melinda, Henry Jr., and Kat, while PJ stresses out about homecoming, much to her sisters' annoyance.  
> Formatted as a TV show, we follow the lives of the children of the Charmed Ones as they try to find their way in the world, not only as a set of some of the most powerful witches to have ever lived, but also as a bunch of stressed out Gen Z nerds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this is the closest I could get to a tv script format using this platform, acts are used to convey segments of the show (the closing of each act would traditionally go into a commercial break), plain text are actions and breaks within those often convey new shots. (V.O.) stands for voice over, (CONT'D) is just continued, implying that the character kept talking through the visual break in dialogue, if it's NAME1/NAME2, they speak in unison. The timeline would be placed roughly near 2025.  
> If you want to come talk to me you can find me @phoebehalliwell on tumblr or @henrymitchells on twitter

### Teaser

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - MORNING**

Chris sits on a beat-up leather couch in the middle of his living room. There's a grimy window open to his right, airing out the room from the scents we're very lucky we can't smell. From a door behind him, lights flash and the sounds of battles found in most generic war games are heard. Chris pays this no mind. He is in the zone, volume all the way up, rapidly typing out some string of code on his laptop.

Suddenly, Chris snaps his head up, scanning the room. We can't tell that anything has changed, but clearly something has.

A breeze rolls in from the window, scattering some wrappers of the table in front of him onto the ground.

Chris pulls out his headphones and silently moves to the window. He looks outside, eyes still searching, but nothing but the San Jose cityscape looks back at him.

Chris looks at the moving lights coming from behind the closed door. He then turns his head towards the apartment's entrance and closes his eyes.

Satisfied, he flicks his eyebrows up and orbs out the window.

### ACT I

**EXT. CAFE PATIO - DAY**

Kat sits alone at a table on the outer edge of the patio, with a half-eaten croissant resting sadly on a plate in front of her.

She's fiddling with her scrying compass, propping it up on one side and trying to get it to spin like a quarter. It doesn't really work.

Kat sighs and goes back to knocking it back and forth between her hands, then picks it up and stares straight into it.

Sounds of scrying are heard, and the needle makes one pathetic circle before giving up.

Kat holds the compass up to her face.

KAT  
You're useless.

She tosses it on the table, evidently with a bit too much zeal, and the compass slides right off the opposite end of the table.

Her eyes widen as she reaches out to stop it, accidentally freezing the scene.

Kat has dived fully across the table before she notices the abject silence of the frozen plaza.

She yelps and quickly looks around, sliding back into a normal seated position before wincing and unfreezing everything.

The wince is a bit premature - the compass never hits the ground, landing instead in Viola's palm.

Viola stands back up, holding out the compass she saved from near peril, and smiles at Kat.

 _All dialogue in Italian._  
VIOLA  
Are you mad at your compass?

Kat flushes and takes the token back from Viola.

KAT  
No, I, um...

Kat's head lolls as she searches for an explanation in the face of the compass. Nothing.

Viola laughs, completely accepting the non answer. Kat can't help but smile at the sound, and her cheeks turn from pink to red. She quickly directs her attention to her croissant.

VIOLA  
Okay, then.

She begins to walk away, back into the center of the cafe.

KAT  
Wait, Viola, um-

Viola stops and turns around to see Kat completely red in the face, and flashes a smile that borders on a smirk. She cocks her head.

KAT (CONT'D)  
...would you... want to... go out? Sometime? With me?

Viola's smile falters. There is a moment before she speaks. Kat immediately begins to fill in the silence.

KAT (CONT'D)  
Oh my god, no, this is so embarrassing, I mean- I didn't mean to, like, pressure you, and and your place of work.

Kat gathers her things and stands, desperately trying to flee the restaurant.

Viola opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. She watches as Kat grabs her croissant and shoves it into her bag, darting past her.

VIOLA  
Kat...

She calls out after her but her tone of voice does nothing to indicate Kat's assumptions were wrong.

Kat, now beet red, pushes her way out of the cafe.

**INT. CHRIS'S ROOM - MORNING**

An alarm buzzes on Chris's phone, flashing 7:30 right next to his pillow. Chris scowls and stares at his phone, thumb hovering above the snooze button. He glares at the flashing time stamp a little longer before turning off the alarm altogether and dragging himself out of bed.

**INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - MORNING**

Chris stumbles into the kitchen, separated from the living room only by a counter jutting out from the wall, styled with an ugly plastic granite coating. He pours himself a large serving of coffee and looks out at past the living room at the window. He cocks his head slightly.

His laptop is sitting on the couch, still open from the night before.

He curses softly and grabs it, retreating back into his room to plug it in.

He reenters the kitchen to find he's not alone.

DILLON, (25), spitting image of photogenic-running-a-marathon-man, is back from his morning run, and is sticking his head in the fridge trying to find something. He pulls out a smoothie in a reusable container, and jumps at the sight of Chris. He pulls out his earbuds, energetic music still flowing through them, and points at Chris.

DILLON  
Are you... waking up or about to go to bed?

Chris scoffs and slides past Dillon, grabbing his cup of coffee.

CHRIS  
Waking up. I've got a work thing today.

DILLON  
Ah.

He takes his drink and disappears into his room. The interaction is about par for the course for the residents of 527E North Street. There are four people living there, but you'd be lucky to see more than two in one room at the same time.

Chris fixes a breakfast for himself - peanut butter and banana on toast - breakfast of champions! and resumes staring out the window, perplexed.

We hear the sounds of SENSING, but nothing in Chris's expression changes.

He gives up, pours himself another cup of coffee, and heads back to his room.

**INT. PANDAOPOLIS HQ - MORNING**

Chris, the most put-together we've ever seen him in a clean t-shirt and hoodie, sits at a table, barely listening as Paul (mid 30s to mid 40s) yammers on in front of a screen displaying a cute cartoon panda holding a roll of sushi with a single bite taken out of it. The word "Pandaopolis" sits above the panda in pink bubble letters.

Around the table sit a bunch of other 20-somethings, an array of faces bearing one thing in common: sleep deprivation. Well, all except one.

A girl in her mid twenties with glossy brown hair sits near where Paul stands. In front of her is a shiny sticker-less laptop and a Starbucks cup (no doubt containing a caramel cloud macchiato).

Paul wraps up his speech and gestures to her.

PAUL  
Everyone, this is Emilia from Milton Bros. Marketing, she'll be walking us through the next couple weeks leading up to the launch.

The girl rising, smoothing out her pencil skirt as she stands. She smiles at Paul - it's a dazzling smile for sure, but there is something removed behind her eyes.

EMILIA  
Thank you, Paul. And good morning everyone!

She hits a button on her laptop and the screen changes from the Pandaopolis screensaver to a full powerpoint presentation, with graphs, statistics, and the works.

Emilia launches into her spiel as everyone leans in to listen, drawn in by her charm.

Chris was listening, at first, but right now he has the same concerned alertness on his face that he had the night before.

He SENSES, but after a stern look from Paul, he shakes himself out of it and diverts his attention back to Emilia, who is currently outlining the target demographic for their Instagram ads.

Still, Chris is uneasy, shifting around uncomfortably.

Chris closes his laptop and tucks it away in his bag.

CHRIS  
Sorry. Really not feeling well.

He stands and makes some vague gesture towards his temple, adding in a grimace for good measure.

Emilia pauses for the interruption, first looking at Chris, then at Paul.

PAUL  
Chris, this is a mandatory meeting!

CHRIS  
Paul, I'm gonna hurl.

Chris darts out the room, now holding his abdomen, giving his best imitation of the flu.

**EXT. STREET - DAY**

Chris's demeanor changes the second he hits the streets; he's now a man on a mission, quickly moving past the people on the sidewalk, following some hunch.

He turns left down a narrow alley between two buildings, not quite running, but not quite walking either. He crosses the street and turns left, examining each storefronts he passes, before confidently entering a small yellow building with the words "Bee & Barrow Candle Shop" hand lettered above the entrance.

**INT. CANDLE SHOP - DAY**

He stops, abruptly. He looks around, but what ever he was sensing had vanished. Chris's motions slow down, and he mills about the shop's front room, picking up candles and checking their prices.

An EMPLOYEE, a woman in her late 20s, emerges from the back room, accidentally hitting the door frame on their way to the counter. Chris brings up three black pillar candles to register.

She looks at the candles intensely, and with a couple stiff movements on an iPad, pulls up Chris's total.

EMPLOYEE  
$29.49 is your total.

Chris hands over thirty dollars in cash, and the employee gives him back a small handful of quarters, which Chris studies, confused. He dumps them in the tip jar.

CHRIS  
Are you okay?

She doesn't make eye contact with him, but Chris can see her pupils are dilated. Her eyes twitch towards the back room.

EMPLOYEE  
Great, and you?

She wraps up the candles in paper and seals them with a sticker for the store. Her hands aren't shaking, but there is something off about her movements, they're unnaturally stiff.

Chris takes his candles, puts them in his bag with his laptop and exits the store.

CHRIS  
Thanks.

As he moves away, sirens are heard.

**EXT. STREET - DAY**

Again, he isn't running, but this is definitely faster than walking.

When he reaches the middle of the alleyway he stops, looking down each end of the alley.

He waits for a person to walk past, then, confident no one can see him, he orbs out.

**INT. CANDLE SHOP BACKROOM - DAY**

Chris orbs into the backroom of the shop he was just in, looking around. There is a counter running along the back wall with boxes, ribbons, tissue paper, and collections of colored candles sitting in groups waiting to be shipped out. And, in the center of the room, a body, collapsed on the floor.

Chris moves towards the figure, a woman in her late 40s, when she stirs slightly, moaning. Her mousy hair has a dark patch in it, Chris touches it and pulls away bloody fingers. A few feet away is a packing tape dispenser.

Out in the front room, Chris hears commotion. He pokes his head out to see the employee he had just purchase the candles from a blubbering mess on the floor, trying to talking to two police officers.

The first officer, a sandy blond in his late 20s, is taking notes in a pad. He nods at his fellow officer, a stocky woman in her early 30's, who immediately starts moving towards the back room.

Chris dives back from the door frame and promptly orbs out.

**INT. MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Chris orbs into the attic, landing right in front of the book, and promptly starts leafing through it.

CHRIS  
(muttering)  
Come on, I could sure use a sign right now.

HENRY (O.S.)  
For what?

Chris jumps. Henry sits in an ugly bamboo lounge chair with red floral cushions, nose deep in a book, on the other side of the attic.

CHRIS  
Jesus Christ!

HENRY  
Nope, just me. What are you looking for?

CHRIS  
(still shocked)  
How'd you get in here?

HENRY  
(still reading)  
Magic School.

Chris spins around, looking for a door.

CHRIS  
You can get into the attic from magic school?

HENRY  
God, no. But you can get into the solarium.

He marks his page and closes his book.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Your dad's home, by the way.

Chris nods, acknowledging that statement in a cold manner.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
So what are you looking for?

CHRIS  
I don't know, that's why I sure could use a sign!  
He speaks pointedly to the ceiling, but nothing happens.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
(grumbling)  
That never works.

HENRY  
Have you tried scrying for evil?

CHRIS  
It's silicon valley. It just reads as a wash.

Henry frowns.

HENRY  
Does that mean we could find Zuckerberg and beat him up?

Chris pauses and process that thought.

CHRIS  
(pleasantly surprised)  
Yeah.

Henry gets up from his chair and goes to look at the book with his cousin.

HENRY  
So, if you can't scry for it, how have you been tracking it?

CHRIS  
I can sense it, and it's growing stronger, I can just never seem to get to a place before it vanishes.

HENRY  
So what does it do?

CHRIS  
That's the thing. I don't know. I tracked it back to a candle shop where one employee bludgeoned the other.

HENRY  
Are they-

CHRIS  
She's alive, and the weird thing is, I think her coworker called the cops after she realized what she did.

HENRY  
Possession?

CHRIS  
It's a start.

HENRY  
Your dad's downstairs, if you wanna have him go check with the elders, see what they know.

Chris scowls. He thinks it's not noticeable - it definitely is.

CHRIS  
I think I'm just going to head back home and see if I can track it again.

HENRY  
Whatever floats your boat. I'll see what I can find here, text you if I find anything.

Chris starts to orb out. Henry calls after him.

HENRY (CONT'D)  
Try getting the weapon to scry with!

  
**EXT. STREET - DAY**

Chris orbs back into the alleyway, looking out the end near the candle shop. The store isn't in view, but he can tell there's still commotion coming from that end.

He sighs and walks back the way he came - emerging from alley only to walk almost straight into Emilia.

She mutters something quickly and starts to move past, then pauses, recognizing him.

EMILIA  
Weren't you just in that meeting?

CHRIS  
Yeah, I got sick, I had to go.

He gestures over his shoulder, back at the alleyway he had just come from.

Emilia leans past him to look at the alleyway, confused.

EMILIA  
...you were sick in the alleyway?

CHRIS  
What are you, a cop?

Emilia is taken aback by the statement; she's offended, but a little bit amused.

Chris's demeanor changes as he offers up an explanation.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
My apartments back that way, I ran and got some medicine.

EMILIA  
Ah. Well, you missed a thrilling presentation on our Facebook demographics.

CHRIS  
God, I was really looking forward to that too.

EMILIA  
I could always explain it to you over dinner.

CHRIS  
Yeah?

Emilia holds out her phone to him. Chris types in his number.

**INT. PARKER'S CAR - DAY**

The 2005 Subaru Outback sits in the parking lot, with two sisters in the front seat, awaiting a third.

Parker drums her thumbs on the steering wheel while Peyton scrolls through Instagram.

PEYTON  
Ooh! They just uploaded it!

Parker leans in as Peyton taps the @sfhs_sharks Instagram story.

The video, covered in a couple moving stickers and a countdown clock labelled "Homecoming", shows a proposal by Simon to PJ on the front steps of the school. It's a big production, with a sign, a bouquet of flowers, and Simon down on one knee with a ring pop.

The video ends and it switches to a colorful background with text reading:

HoCo tickets go on sale this week! [dancing emoji] $12 for individuals, $20 for a couple! Sold at the Student Store

accompanied with a geotag to the student store.

PJ hops in the backseat of the car holding a large bouquet of flowers and sporting a ring pop on her finger. Without missing a beat, Parker starts the car engine.

PJ  
Hey! You see the HoCoPropo?

PEYTON  
Just watched the story!

PARKER  
And please don't call it that.

PJ  
Not my idea! Manda wants everyone tagging their proposals with #hocopropo so student broadcast can make a compilation of it for next week's broadcast.

Parker rolls her eyes and pulls out of the lot.

PARKER  
Of course she does.

PJ  
Did the video turn out?

She opens Instagram as she speaks, not waiting for an answer.

The audio from the video fills the car again as PJ watches back what had just happened to her.

PJ (CONT'D)  
Ugh, Josh puts avocado stickers on, like, literally every single story. What about this warrants avocados?

PARKER  
Peej?

PJ  
Mm?

PARKER  
Calm down.

PJ scowls and sucks on her ring pop. There is a moment of peace before she breaks out again, losing none of her zeal.

PJ  
Because- Okay, I'm trying to make homecoming, like, not suck, because it always sucks. So, this year I've, like- okay so what I've done is, like, polled everybody on why they have a negative view of homecoming, right? And then I took those opinions...

PJ's voice fades out as Parker turns up the radio and keeps driving.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - DAY**

There is a Ding! as a door that looks like any other wooden door slide open, revealing an elevator interior containing three cupitches. PJ is still talking.

PJ (CONT'D)  
...and it wasn't even my idea, okay? Miriam thought we should have, like, one big promposal-esque thing to, like, kick it off. You know, inspire other people and whatever. And Nicky suggested that Simon and I do it, so, like, yeah, I said yes...

She keeps going on as the girls continue down the hallway arriving at an empty classroom. They pause. The classroom shouldn't be empty.

PEYTON  
Where's Henry?

PARKER  
Yeah, we're the late ones. He should already be here.

PJ shrugs at her sisters and beams out. Parker and Peyton follow.

**INT. MAGIC SCHOOL LIBRARY - DAY**

Three hearts materialize into three sisters at the base of a ladder in front of a wall of books.

Up at the top of the ladder is Henry, running his finger across spines, vaguely registering that his cousins have appeared behind him. His finger stops as he finds the book he was looking for.

HENRY  
Catch.

He pulls the out of the wall with a finger, letting it fall.

Peyton flinches as the text falls towards her, throwing her hands up and knocking the book back up in an arc telekinetically.

Parker jumps and catches the book before it can fly out of control.

Henry comes off the ladder and takes the book from Parker. He pauses in motion, eyes growing wide.

HENRY  
Training!

PARKER  
Yeah! Vámonos, I, like, need to beat PJ up right now!

PJ makes a scandalized noise.

PARKER (CONT'D)  
Oh, come on, you genuinely thought you could complain about homecoming for the past 25 minutes with no repercussions?

PJ  
I wasn't complaining! I was... explaining!

Peyton grabs the book from Henry.

PEYTON  
What do you want with possessor demons?

PJ replaces the book with her phone, already showing the story of her #hocopropo.

HENRY  
Chris is like... doing a thing - what's with the avocado sticker?

PJ takes back her phone triumphantly.

PJ  
Exactly!

PARKER  
Who cares!

Parker beams out. PJ rolls her eyes and follows. Henry sighs and takes his book back from Peyton, heading back up the ladder to return it. Peyton beams out.

Henry puts the book back and looks down to find all his cousins gone.

HENRY  
Hey!

A small heart appears next to him on the ladder, consuming him in a pink glow and beaming him out with him.

### ACT II

**EXT. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - DAY**

Chris sits on one of the beams of the Golden Gate Bridge, looking out over the city.

There is a series of buzzing as texts comes in from Henry.

Chris opens his phone as photos of entries in the Book of Shadows come in, with a text from Henry reading:

possessors in the book. plus some other potential suspects.

The sound of ORBING startles Chris, causing him to drop his phone.

A hand enters the frame, and Chris's phone orbs into it, safe from the harsh waters of the San Francisco Bay. He smiles and takes it.

MELINDA  
Sorry for starling you.

CHRIS  
No, it's - I've been on edge lately.

MELINDA  
You're always on edge.

Chris makes a face. It's true!

CHRIS  
So what brings you here?

Melinda lets out a deep sign.

MELINDA  
Bruh... college is so stressful, Davis is so flat, there's like... a weird amount of weird things that keep happening - I got a new whitelighter, and that's a lot. I... I miss home.

Her voice starts to break towards the end. She offers a weak smile.

Chris pulls his sister into a hug.

She sniffles and pulls him closer. Her head tilts up and she makes a face at him.

MELINDA  
(bothered)  
How are you so stressed?

CHRIS  
Stop empathing!

MELINDA  
I'm barely empathing! You're practically projecting!

CHRIS  
We're focusing on your issues right now.

He ruffles her hair and releases her from the hug. Melinda scowls at him.

MELINDA  
Yeah, but now I'm more intrigued by yours.

CHRIS  
I think you're dodging your issues.

MELINDA  
I can tell you for a fact you're dodging yours.

CHRIS  
Ha-ha.

He realizes something.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
Are you doing anything right now?

MELINDA  
Avoiding my chemistry homework?

CHRIS  
Great.

He claps his hands and orbs them both off the bridge.

**INT. WYATT'S OFFICE - DAY**

Wyatt office is pristine; it's both a reflection on him and the Weissman Art Gallery as a whole. Wyatt says "snooty" isn't the right word, but it totally is. The walls are white and the floor is petrified wood. There's a desk and bookcase, both mahogany, covered with papers and books yet still somehow managing to remain neat and organized.

Wyatt sits at his desk, rapidly typing into a document on his computer. He has a piece of paper face up displayed the printed image of an art piece, completely marked up in pencil annotations. He switches to a tab showing an artist's biography and begins scanning through it when there's a knock at the door.

WYATT  
Yeah?

ERIN, a compact girl in her mid twenties sporting a black cardigan and pencil skirt leans into the room.

ERIN  
Hey, Marcus just called in with car troubles and he can't make the client meeting, can you cover for him?

WYATT  
The Johnson sale?

ERIN  
Yeah. Mitsuba, one o' clock. And you're supposed to be fifteen minutes early, so you probably should have left like five minutes ago.

Wyatt is already up and grabbing his coat.

WYATT  
The client file is...?

ERIN  
Right here.

She hands thick manila folder.

WYATT  
Alright.

ERIN  
Thanks, Wyatt. You're a gem.

Wyatt offers a golden boy smile and exits.

**INT. SANDWICH SHOP - DAY**

Melinda and Chris sit at a table in a dingy but perfectly passable sandwich shop.

MELINDA  
So what are you sensing?

CHRIS  
The thing is... I can't exactly tell. I was talking to Henry earlier, he's got some ideas-

Chris opens his text messages and slides his phone across the table to his sister. Melinda scrolls through them while Chris keeps talking.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
-y'know, possessor demons and stuff, given the state of the...

He searches for the right word.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
bludgeoning.

Melinda looks up from her scrolling, pensive.

MELINDA  
Is there a way I can get in contact with her, do you think? Try to get a read on her, we could try to get Parker...

Chris shakes his head.

CHRIS  
She just tried to brain her coworker, I don't she'll be taking visitors any time soon. Besides, the demon's moved on, I can tell.

Melinda raises her brows.

MELINDA  
You can tell?

CHRIS  
I can... sense it. More than I can with other things; it's like we're on the same wavelength or something.

Melinda frowns and takes a long sip of her drink. Chris throws up his hands in exasperation, not approving of her disapproval.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
Look, everything happens for a reason, right? That fact that I keep sensing it has to mean something.

MELINDA  
It could mean it wants you to sense it, to use itself as bait. If it's a possessor demon, it wouldn't be uncommon. Have you asked Dad?

Chris scowls.

MELINDA  
(disapproving)  
Oh, come on.

CHRIS  
What?

MELINDA  
You and Dad, Chris, it's ridiculous. I don't understand what you're issue with him is.

CHRIS  
Okay, no offense to Dad, but he's not a good whitelighter. I don't get why they reinstated him to guide us when Aunt Paige clearly would have been better.

MELINDA  
Aunt Paige doesn't like mixing whitelighter duties with family.

CHRIS  
Yeah. Well, maybe Dad should take a page out of her book.

Melinda looks hurt. It's unclear whether she feels for her father or her brother.

There's a pause as the two sit there. Melinda tries to stitch together a sentence. They start speaking at almost the exact same time, with Melinda yielding to Chris.

MELINDA  
Chris-

CHRIS  
You wanna know what his advice was last time I brought something up to him? Leave it be. If it got out of hand, he would call Wyatt.

Melinda frowns.

MELINDA  
Okay, that was one time-

CHRIS  
No, that was the last time. It's like that every time. And it's not just with magic! He doesn't trust me. Or he doesn't respect me.

The napkin dispenser on the table starts to vibrate, slowly at first, but more violently as Chris finishes his thought.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
No matter how much I accomplish on my own, I still can't prove myself to him; I just want to prove myself to him!

Melinda puts her hand on the napkin dispenser, stopping its quaking.

Chris leans back, registering what he just did. He smiles weakly and shakes his head.

MELINDA  
It's because he loves you. He doesn't want you to get hurt. He gets scared, you know.

Chris lets out a sharp breath. Melinda purses her lips. The sounds of EMPATHY are heard. She sits up sharply, looking confused.

CHRIS  
(groaning)  
Please don't empathize.

MELINDA  
No, that's not it.

Chris's head has perked up before she has even finished her sentence.

CHRIS  
Can you tell where it is?

Melinda closes her eyes. Her EMPATHY is heard even louder as we see her concentrate.

She opens her eyes, expression sitting somewhere between concerned and confused.

She grabs her sandwich and drink and darts out the shop, leaving Chris by his lonesome.

He shoves his sandwich in his hoodie pocket, grabbing his soda and running after her.

**EXT. STREET - DAY**

Chris sees his sister standing at a street corner, eyes closed, face up to the sky.

CHRIS  
Mel-

She snaps back and starts running further down the street.

MELINDA  
Keep up!

Chris runs after her, long legs quickly catching up to her running pace.

Melinda stops again, closes her eyes, and turns right. A couple more turns, and she's swinging open the doors to a middle school gym.

She stops dead in her tracks.

CHRIS  
Good God.

MELINDA  
(snapping out of it)  
Kat! Kat! We need to go get Kat now!

The two orb out, leaving behind a scene of absolute chaos.

**INT. BASKETBALL GYM - DAY**

A youth basketball game has turned ugly with the players, all around 10 years old, having abandoned the basketball in it's entirety, instead throwing brutal, tiny hands at each other. A couple of sports dads have descended from the bleachers and are ganging up on the ref. One kid making a steely faced run for the exit, body slamming another child in his path. Another child has grabbed his opponent is about to sink his teeth into he kid's arm, but he freezes.

The sounds of commotion stop as everyone becomes frozen mid-motion.

KAT  
Okay, what the hell is this!

Kat, now in slouchy pajamas and for once completely make up free, stands in between Chris and Melinda, hands still up in freezing position. Her eyes are a little red.

Chris and Melinda both stammer out explanations of what they think might be happening, but Kat cuts them off.

KAT (CONT'D)  
Nevermind. How do we stop it?

Chris and Melinda both look at each other.

KAT (CONT'D)  
Do we not have a way to stop it?

CHRIS  
We were sorta more preoccupied with making sure the five year olds don't murder each other.

Gentle reminder, these kids are closer to ten.

MELINDA  
But we don't know what's causing this.

A beat. EMPATHY.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry.

She pulls Kat into a hug.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
You're gonna make it through this.

Kat tries to worm her way out of the hug.

KAT  
Come on, Mellie, not now!

Chris looks over at the two, registering Kat in all her tragic glory for the first time. He grimaces.

CHRIS  
Yeesh.

KAT  
Bitch?

CHRIS  
Things didn't work out with the waitress?

KAT  
(very upset)  
No!

Noise suddenly breaks out as time resumes. Kat yelps and freezes everything again.

The three's attention recenters on the task at hand. There is a beat as they all stand there, trying to make heads or tails of the situation.

KAT (CONT'D)  
So... is the current plan to have me keep freezing the room every five to ten minutes?

MELINDA  
No, we'll just... use a spell. Chris, you got a spell?

CHRIS  
No, I don't have a-

The two girls looks at him, expectant. He rolls his eyes and sighs.

Um, alright:  
_We gather in this basketball gym / where it seems neither team will go on to win / for in this place and in this hour / they have been consumed by a violent power / which we seek to nullify / with this, uh, lullaby._

The room unfreezes slowly, as everyone in the gym - save for the witches - began to drift off to sleep on the hardwood floors of the court.

Kat flicks up her eyebrows.

KAT  
Damn, off the cuff.

CHRIS  
(distracted)  
Yeah...

He looks up, as if he can tell something is in the air. He orbs out.

Kat makes an annoyed face at Chris's unceremonious exit. Melinda frowns, studying the gym.

KAT  
(to a long gone Chris)  
Okay, so no help with the demon?

MELINDA  
It's not here anymore.

Melinda wanders out into the gym floor, gingerly stepping over bodies, studying them as she goes.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
It's completely vanished.

KAT  
Good thing? Bad thing?

Melinda stands up. A beat. She shrugs.

MELINDA  
I don't know. I don't think it was a possessor demon.

KAT  
Yeah I sure hope it wasn't, that would have been, what, thirty people at once?

MELINDA  
Yeah...

She squats down next to a pair of kids sporting opposing jerseys. One cradles the other's arm (a vast improvement from nearly biting it off moments ago).

Melinda runs her hand above their heads, eyes closed. Her EMPATHY chimes. She looks confused. She scans again, and then leans over to another child a couple feet away and scans him as well.

KAT  
What? What is it?

MELINDA  
(confused)  
They just really wanted to win. That's it.

She stands up, palms out, eyes still closed.

She cocks her head towards a kid passed out near the basketball hoop.

That kid really wanted to make a three-pointer-

She nods towards one next to him.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
-and that one really wanted to stop him from making a three-pointer. One over there-

towards the exit

-just really wanted to go home for snacks, and that one-

one snoozing near the bleachers

-really just wanted to prove himself to his dad.

Melinda's eyes snap open.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Oh, god.

KAT  
What?

MELINDA  
Kat, go get Henry, see if he found anything about any demons that manifest... warp... like, wants. Desires.

KAT  
On it.

She's orbed out before the words have fully left her mouth.

Melinda gives one last look at the child with daddy issues asleep near the bleachers, concern in her eyes.

MELINDA  
(to herself)  
Come on, Chris.

She orbs out.

### ACT III

**INT. MANOR KITCHEN - DAY**

Melinda orbs in to her parents having lunch at the kitchen island.

MELINDA  
Dad? Dad?

She turns around to see her Piper and Leo, both calmly enjoying their sandwiches.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Where's Chris?

PIPER  
Chris? Why aren't you at school?

LEO  
Is something wrong?

Melinda spins around the kitchen, looking for some sign of disarray.

MELINDA  
Yes, something's wrong.  
(beat)  
I'm pretty sure something's wrong.

She turns back to face her parents.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Are you sure Chris hasn't stopped by?

Leo is visibly concerned.

LEO  
Why, is he in danger?

PIPER  
Honey, what's going on?

Melinda looks incredibly confused and very much on edge, as if expecting Chris to burst in at any minute.

MELINDA  
Okay, well, now I'm thinking I could be wrong, but-

A thump comes from upstairs.

Melinda's eyes snap to the ceiling and she immediately orbs up.

Piper and Leo exchange a look.

Leo offers out his hand; Piper sighs and takes it and the two orb after their daughter.

**INT. MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Kat stands slightly behind Henry as he quickly leafs through the Book of Shadows.

Melinda orbs in, facing them. Henry's eyes snap up briefly before returning to the book.

HENRY  
Hey, Mellie. Just us.

Piper and Leo orb into the attic.

PIPER  
Okay, what is going on?

Henry triumphantly slaps a page in the book.

HENRY  
Got it!

PIPER  
Got what?

MELINDA  
Is there a spell?

HENRY  
Yeah, we need crystals.

KAT  
On it.

Kat goes over to a bookcase stacked with crystals and starts sifting through the gems.

PIPER  
People! Someone explain to me what the hell is happening!

Piper's exclamation freezes the room - no magic necessary.

Henry registers everyone in the attic.

HENRY  
Wait, where's Chris?

**INT. MITSUBA RESTAURANT - DAY**

Wyatt sits across from the JOHNSON CLIENT. The two both sit in front of salads as the client flips through a portfolio of artwork. Wyatt smiles brightly and nods politely as the client sternly studies the materials in the folder.

Wyatt's rapt attention is broken when something catches his eye. Chris.

His brother waves at him, trying to catch his attention.

Wyatt raises his eyebrows an nods subtly at the client, a "can't you see I'm in the middle of something?".

Chris gestures him over, more urgent than before, and mouths three words: Dad's in trouble.

Wyatt gently sets his napkin next to his plate and turns towards the Johnson Client.

WYATT  
Excuse me, just one moment.

The client grumbles out some form of acknowledgment but keeps their eyes glued to the portfolio.

Wyatt rises and heads down the hallway Chris just traveled down.

The door to the bathroom is swinging shut, Wyatt catches it with his hand and is speaking before he even enters.

WYATT  
Chris? Where's Dad? Is he alright-

**INT. BATHROOM - DAY**

Wyatt can barely finish his sentence before Chris has thrown his arm in an arc, sending Wyatt flying into the bathroom mirror.

Wyatt groans, hitting the sink counter before rolling to the floor.

Chris curls in his fingers sharply.

The mirror, already broken in one place, shatters itself into a hundred glass daggers.

Chris lifts his hand up slightly and then brings it down with force.

Wyatt, who has managed the painful task of rolling onto his back, barely manages to throw up an orb shield in time.

Pieces of glass hover centimeters above face, stuck in the blue glow of the shield.

WYATT  
What the hell, Chris?

Wyatt sends out a small energy wave, disintegrating the glass into a fine silver powder that falls lightly around him.

Wyatt tries to sit up, groaning in pain, when he is lifted in the air once again and sent flying into a tiled wall.

WYATT  
Chris, stop! You're under a spell.

Wyatt presses one hand to his temple and reaches out with the other, sending out soft golden waves towards Chris.

Chris cocks his head to the side and quickly twists his wrist.

Wyatt's outreached hand spins with a violent SNAP and the golden waves dissipate. He gingerly holds his broken wrist and stares mouth agape at his brother.

WYATT  
Bitch!

Chris punches. He only hits air, but Wyatt's head gets knocked back telekinetically. A bit of blood trickles down from his nose.

Wyatt throws out his hand and Chris goes flying back towards a stall door.

Chris dissipates into orbs before the full contact can hit, lightly pushing open the door to the stall.

He rematerializes right next to his brother. He elbows him once in the face for good measure, then grabs Wyatt's shoulder and orbs them both out.

**INT. MANOR ATTIC - DAY**

Henry is copying down a spell onto a pad of paper while Melinda tries to explain to her parents what exactly is going on. Kat puts three crystals in a bag and hands them to Melinda.

MELINDA  
...and Chris had been tracking this demon-

Henry interjects, reading the name of the demon off the page.

HENRY  
Volas.

MELINDA  
-he had been tracking Volas and that's what led us to a basketball game...

Melinda keeps talking as Henry rips the page from the pad and hands it to Melinda.

MELINDA  
...which is where I think the demon-

HENRY  
Volas.

MELINDA  
-where I think Volas latched on to him.

PIPER  
And what does that have to do with your father?

MELINDA  
Well...

A loud CRASH is heard downstairs. All five head in the attic pop up before looking down.

There's a moment of hesitation.

HENRY  
(muttering)  
I guess we're about to find out.

They all move for the stairs.

**INT. MANOR - DAY**

Wyatt is struggling to his feet in the living room. Chris kicks him in the ribs, but there's clearly a telekinetic lift as Wyatt goes flying into the sitting room, accompanied by the sound of two loud snaps.

Piper, Leo, Melinda, Kat and Henry have all reached the stairs on the lower floor, and stop as they see Chris saunter over to Wyatt.

PIPER  
Christopher Perry Halliwell!

LEO  
Chris, this isn't you. Stop!

Chris does stop. He turns to face his father, a grin on his face.

CHRIS  
Good. You're here. I want you to see this.

He telekinetically lifts a couch, raising it over his brother.

MELINDA  
(realization)  
Freeze the room.

PIPER  
What?

The sound of FREEZING. Kat stands with her hands out.

Henry and Leo are frozen in motion, as to be expected, but, surprisingly so is Chris.

Wyatt takes advantage of this brief reprieve and orbs up to the stairs, landing behind his mother and sister, propping himself up against the wall. He groans.

WYATT  
He just broke my ribs.

MELINDA  
Kat, can you unfreeze Henry and my dad?

KAT  
Bit out of my range there, Mellie.

PIPER  
Oh, I've got this.

She throws out her hands and the sound of FREEZING is heard once again. She swings her finger, first at Leo, then at Henry.

Leo resumes his motion of sprinting down the stairs before pausing, looking at a frozen Chris about to drop a couch on nothing.

He turns around to ask a question and sees a bloodied and bruised Wyatt leaning against the wall.

LEO  
Wyatt!

He quickly runs over, hands already starting to glow gold.

He heals Wyatt, and turns to look back at a frozen Chris.

LEO (CONT'D)  
I don't understand, how is he frozen?

MELINDA  
He's got something piggybacking off him. That's not entirely Chris.  
(beat)  
Or I guess it is, and then some. Wyatt, could you?

Melinda gestures her head towards the scene in the sitting room.

Wyatt once again places a hand to the temple and reaches out with the other, emitting golden waves.

MELINDA (CONT'D)  
Mom, it's really important you keep the room frozen.

PIPER  
Honey, I can keep the room frozen.

The waves seem to batter against Chris despite flowing through everything else. The waves fight against him more and more, building up until they suddenly break through him.

Piper throws out a hand, freezing the room again. Chris moves.

The first thing he does is get his bearings, registering that he's presently in the manor. He then notices his family all watching him from the stairs like terrified spectators to a bear fight. His eyes land on Wyatt.

CHRIS  
Sorry, Wyatt!

Wyatt gives his brother a weak thumbs up - _it's okay._

HENRY  
Did we get it?

Wyatt reaches his hand out again, and a film of gold dust travels out along the room. It moves past Chris yet catches on the air behind him, sticking and sticking until a humanoid form is outlined in the soft gold glow.

Chris scowls at the figure and flips it off. Piper chastises him from the stairs.

PIPER  
Chris!

CHRIS  
Come on, Mom!

He jogs to join everyone on the stairs.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
Do we have a spell?

MELINDA  
Yeah. Hold this.

Melinda dumps the crystals from the bag into her hand. She hands Wyatt a purple one, Chris the black one, and keeps the clear one for herself.

She pulls the piece of paper with the spell on it out of her pocket and uncrumples it. Chris and Wyatt lean over their little sister as the three read aloud.

WYATT/CHRIS/MELINDA  
_With obsidian, clear quartz, amethyst / we three witches cast a spell / take this evil and banish it / send the demon back to hell._

The crystals hum and begin to glow in the three witch's hands, before shooting out beams of light, one from each crystal, and piercing with the demon.

The gold dust begins to fleck away as a burning red emits from the figure. It glows hotter and hotter, and a screaming is heard. 

The crystals begin to vibrate more intensely and the demon's core begins to glow white-hot, until, with a final wail, the figure blows up. Gold dust floats to the floor, disappearing into nothingness before it makes contact with the hardwood.

There is a moment of silence as everyone releases their bated breath. This is quickly broken by Wyatt.

WYATT  
Well, if everything's settled I really have to get back to a client so-

He hands Melinda his crystal and orbs out before finishing the sentence.

Piper and Leo turn to Chris, clearly with a lot to say. Henry sense the tension and chooses to follow in Wyatt's footsteps.

HENRY  
I was sort of in the middle of training, so...

KAT  
I'll drop you off.

Kat grabs her brother and the two Mitchells leave the manor.

MELINDA  
I... will put the crystals back!

She grabs the obsidian out of Chris's hand and begins hopping up the stairs

PIPER  
(pointedly)  
And then go back to school?

MELINDA  
(calling down from the top of the stairs)  
And then go back to school!

She exits.

Chris looks for his chance to escape.

CHRIS  
I should probably go...

LEO  
Chris, I think we need talk about what just happened.

Chris raises his brows and looks at the floor.

CHRIS  
Yeah. Yeah, we do, and we will, but I really messed up a bathroom in a restaurant, and I feel like I have to fix that before someone sees, so...

PIPER  
Ah-ah!

Chris pauses, on the edge of orbing out.

PIPER (CONT'D)  
Fix the couch.

The couch that almost killed Wyatt is still frozen, upside down, in midair.

Chris cracks a weak smile and slowly lowers it back into place. It lands with a soft thud.

Piper nods. Chris looks away sheepishly, then orbs out.

Leo is about to call after him, but Piper stops him, resting her hand on his.

PIPER (CONT'D)  
He has to come to you. In his own time.

Leo still seems on edge about this, but gives in to Piper, taking her hand.

### ACT IV

**INT. WYATT'S APARTMENT - NIGHT**

Wyatt sits at the kitchen counter, flipping through a binder absentmindedly, an empty plate of food near him.

A knock on the door. He leans over the counter and rests his plate in the sink before answering.

It's Chris.

CHRIS  
Hey. I came to apologize for, uh, breaking your nose. And ribs.

Wyatt smiles softly.

WYATT  
Wrist, too.

CHRIS  
Damn, I totally won that fight didn't I?

Wyatt invites his brother inside.

WYATT  
No, that fight does not count; I was definitely going easy on you.

CHRIS  
Oh, sure you were.

WYATT  
Sorry that I'm so morally upstanding I refuse to beat up a possessed man, guess that just makes me the better person.

The two laugh.

CHRIS  
I brought you matcha. Peace offering.

He sets down a green tin on Wyatt's counter.

Wyatt smiles and takes it, filing it away in one of his cabinets before moving to the fridge. Chris keeps talking, leaning against the kitchen counter.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
Yeah, I was gonna get you beer but the I figured you probably needed the matcha more.

WYATT  
I am almost out of matcha.

CHRIS  
You're always almost of out matcha.

Wyatt pulls out two beers from the fridge. A quick hand motion above each of them and the caps telekinetically pop off. He offers one to Chris, who accepts.

WYATT  
How were you gonna buy beer, you're not twenty one for, like, another two weeks.

CHRIS  
Guess I'm just not as morally upstanding as you.

The two smile.

They stay in silence for a while. It's not uncomfortable; a lot of moment's shared between the two of them are quiet. It's more pensive.

CHRIS  
I want you to know: the whole attacking you thing, it wasn't personal. Which, I know sounds a little-

WYATT  
I know. Mel explained it to me earlier.

CHRIS  
Oh. How much did she explain?

WYATT  
Broad strokes? That you should probably be talking to Dad right now and not me.

Chris lets out a long sigh.

WYATT (CONT'D)  
I see it, you know.

Chris looks up.

WYATT (CONT'D)  
I mean, it's little things, but he does.... It is different with you.

CHRIS  
(grumbling)  
Yeah, no kidding.

WYATT  
So talk with him about it. Worst case scenario, things stay the same.

Chris flicks up his eyebrows.

CHRIS  
Worst case scenario I get my surprise party cancelled?

WYATT  
Chris, it's a surprise party, you're not supposed to know about it!

CHRIS  
It's not a surprise party if Mom does it every year.

They laugh softly. Silence again.

Chris pulls himself off the counter, exhaling.

WYATT  
You gonna go home?

Chris winces.

CHRIS  
I'm gonna go talk to Dad.

A smile grows on Wyatt's face.

WYATT  
Okay.

He pulls Chris into a hug goodbye. Chris claps his brother on the back.

WYATT (CONT'D)  
Just don't start making too many good decisions, I need to keep my reputation as the golden boy.

CHRIS  
Wouldn't dream of it. Daddy issues are a large part of my brand.

WYATT  
See you.

CHRIS  
Yeah.

He orbs out.

**EXT. MANOR GARDEN - NIGHT**

Leo sits out on one of the lawn chairs in the garden, nestled in a thick Stanford hoodie, stargazing.

The is a soft rapping at the doors leading out from the solarium, he looks to see Chris standing in the threshold.

CHRIS  
Is Mom still at the restaurant?

He walks out to meet Leo, who immediately stands up.

LEO  
Yeah, but she'll be home soon, if you just want to wait for her here.

CHRIS  
No, um-

He shuffles his feet.

I actually came here to talk with you.

The two stand, roughly four feet apart. Neither one of them move.

Leo breaks the silence, moving quickly.

LEO  
Yeah! Yeah, of course. Sit down! What... what is it you want to talk about?

Leo gestures for Chris to sit in one of the lawn chairs next to the one he had previously been occupying.

Chris sits, not reclining in the chair, but rather perching on the edge of it, as if ready to make a mad dash at any moment.

Leo also sits back down, mirroring his son.

And the two sit. In silence. Chris looks like he's trying to find the words to say, but it's Leo who speaks first.

LEO (CONT'D)  
Melinda explained the demon to us.

It's a prompt, a jumping off point for Chris to hopefully turn into a conversation.

He doesn't. He just sits there, steely eyed.

LEO (CONT'D)  
Chris, I don't know what's going on if you don't tell me.

CHRIS  
(accusatory)  
You don't?

Leo looks at his son, unsure of what to say.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
I'm just asking that you be honest with me.

LEO  
About what?

CHRIS  
About everything! Why is it that you feel this need to constantly stop me? I'm a good person, Dad; I'm a good witch. So why can't you trust me?

Leo sighs and looks down at his hands.

CHRIS  
What about me makes me such a screw-up that you refuse to let me go out on my own?

LEO  
That's not...

He searches for the words to say. Leo takes in a deep breath and looks up at the stars, studying them, before exhaling and trying at a sentence.

LEO (CONT'D)  
When you were really young - right after you were born - there was a complication. It was... you... I thought you were going to die, Chris, and it... it terrified me. And I never wanted to feel that way again; I never wanted to put you in harm's way, put you in a situation where I could lose you again.

Leo looks at this son.

The two make eye contact, briefly, but Chris quickly breaks it, opting to study the chair he's sitting in or the grass at his feet.

He can tell he has to say something. He looks back at Leo.

CHRIS  
You didn't lose me, Dad. I'm right here. I'm still here. And the way you go about this, it doesn't protect me. I'm a grown witch; I can protect myself.

Leo looks like he has so much more to say, but the words keep catching on each other in his throat.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
I just need you to trust me.

Leo nods, unable to form words, and claps his son on the shoulder.

CHRIS (CONT'D)  
Bye, Dad.

He orbs out.


End file.
